A Long and Winding Road
by alwayssmilingsam
Summary: Helen had complicated relationships with Nikola and James - she loved, and was in love, with them both during her lifetime.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: This is my first Sanctary Fic and the first one I have written in several years. I have multiple chapters in mind with it ultimately becoming Helen/Nikola but let me know if you are interested in it continuing.

Don't own them - no money being made

The two men watched as Helen took a chair opposite them in the small drawing room of her father's house. She had always preferred to take company in this room. Aside from being an intimate size for entertaining, the fire warmed it quickly which on a night like tonight had been important. It had always been the room where she had mulled over problems or discussed them with her father ad she had never really faced a proble as big as the one she was facing presently.

Both men sitting opposite were in love with her, knew it. Thankfully neither had pursued her in that manner before John or since, thankfully it didn't stop either of them stopping whatever it was they were doing and coming immediately when she had summoned them.

Helen took a breath before speaking, "James, Nikola, thank you so much for coming this evening." She looked at each of them. Hoping that she would not have to reveal all the sordid details of how she landed herself in her current predicament. She momentarily thought of the evening John had teleported into her bedroom swearing he had changed, swearing his undying love for her and when she refused to believe him swearing that he would prove she still had feelings for him. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought of the way her body had betrayed her mind that night.

"Helen? What is it? Why have you called us out in this godforsaken weather?" Nikola asked impatiently.

"Gentlemen it seems I have found myself in quite a dilemma and I am hoping you will both help me."

James looked at her and all the pieces suddenly fell into place for him. Something had been 'off' about her for a couple of weeks and it was only now he realised what it was, he mentally kicked himself for not seeing it sooner.

Helen watched as realisation dawned on James – if she were honest she had been expecting him to confront her since she first realised herself. "I see James has appeared to have worked out my predicament." She smiled at her friend and then turned to Nikola.

"Nikola I am pregnant". She waited for him to absorb this information before speaking again. "Before either of you suggest it, I am not looking for ill-considered marriage proposals. No, the help I require is far more complicated."

Nikola was still trying to digest the fact that Helen was with child. He knew she and Druitt had been engaged but had thought it had all ended some time ago and he definitely did not want to entertain the notion of that deranged psychopath laying a finger on Helen's perfect body and now there was physical, tangible truth that he had done much more than just lay a finger. A jealous rage surged through his body and he involuntarily 'vamped' up .

"I will kill that bastard – I will hunt him down and kill him!" Nikola growled.

"Calm down old boy." James suggested fully understanding the vampire's reaction – having felt the same way himself, only not showing it in such a physical manner. "Knowing our Helen as I do, I will hazard a guess that she has a far more practical solution to her predicament already worked out." He smiled as he turned to Helen.

Helen returned the smile, and not for the first time, wished it had been stable, dependable James she had fallen in love with – how different her current situation would be. "As usual James you are correct. We are all aware of how society will treat me as an unmarried mother and how my child will be treated as it grows. None of that is acceptable to me. Nor is the manner in which women are treated as second class citizens - should I have a daughter I want her to have every opportunity available – including those available to men. James, Nikola what I am proposing is going to propel the boundaries of science far into the future." She paused to make sure both men were fully understanding her.

"What exactly are you planning my dear Helen?" Nikola asked, his eyes alight with unknown challenge.

"I am planning to suspend the pregnancy until such time as society will accept my child unconditionally and until such time as I can be sure that there will be no genetic repercussions regarding her parentage"

"You mean you want to try and find some kind of cure for John's bloodthirsty rage and make sure it isn't handed on to his progeny – admirable" Nikola said still not sure of what it was Helen wanted them to do.

Helen winced at Nikolas turn of phrase – whilst it may not have been the most diplomatic way of assessing the situation it was a fairly accurate one. "James, I have studied the female anatomy in some detail and I believe I have found a way to extract the embryo without harming it, I need you to perform the surgery. And Nikola I need you to invent some kind of stasis chamber that will keep the embryo viable for an indefinite period of time." Helen let them both digest what she was asking of them before speaking again. "Will you help me?"

"Of course" they answered in unison.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It had been nearly three weeks since she had asked for her friends help, and while she was confident that James would be able to perform his part of her plan, Nikola was still having trouble developing the stasis chamber she needed. Time was becoming of the essence and she knew it. Already she was beginning to feel the physical changes her body was making to accommodate the new life growing inside her and in brief moments of self-indulgence she pondered on what it might be like to bring the child to term.

James entered her lab quietly during one of these moments and thought she had never looked more beautiful. "I have gone over your notes once more and by my calculations you have no more than a week before this extraordinary plan of yours is no longer viable." James spoke gently.

Helen looked up from her work. "I agree – if Nikola can't invent something by the end of the week I will have to make other arrangements."

James looked at her startled. Helen had always maintained that all life was precious, he was shocked that she would so callously considered ending that of her child regardless of who it's father was and regardless of how 'inappropriate' society would deem it . "Helen, you don't have to do anything dramatic. I know it is not ideal, or your first choice but I would be honoured to marry you and give this child my name." James moved closer and took her hand in his. "You must know how I feel about you…."

Helen looked from the hand holding hers and into James' dear face and realised what he had thought her next plan would be. "Oh James – I want this child very much I could never do anything to bring harm to it, but tying you to a marriage based on this would be wrong – you deserve so much more." She gently stroked his face to lessen the blow of her next words. "If I am to bring this child to term I must move away from here – James you must carry on our work in my absence."

"Helen.." James was interrupted by Nikola bursting through the door.

"I've done it!" Nikola looked at the couple before him. They were standing close together, almost intimately, James holding Helen's hand and Helen's other hand still gently cupping James' cheek. "Or have I just wasted two weeks of my life?"

James took one last look at Helen and turned to Nikola. "As you are immortal old boy I don't see that two weeks creating something for a friend that pushes the boundaries of science should have been too big a problem for you."

Nikola considered this. "No you are right". He turned to Helen. "You always did challenge me more than any other living soul – maybe that is why I love you so much." He grinned cheekily as he presented a metallic box to her.

It was smaller than Helen had anticipated, probably only one foot square which would make storage and transport easier than she had imagined. She studied the box carefully on the outside before looking at Nikola with concern in her eyes. "The power source?"

"And that, my dear Helen, is where the genius comes in." Nikola pointed to the back and two sides of the box. Initially she had thought they were metal but on closer inspection she saw they were made of something else entirely. "Light cells!" Nikola exclaimed proudly. "The cells absorb light and convert it to energy to maintain the internal temperature – as long as the box is placed in daylight every two or three days there is no need for any kind of external power." Nikola bowed with a flourish.

James patted him on the back. "I will concede – that is pure genius."

"You doubted me?"

Helen moved around the desk in her lab and wrapped her arms around Nikola. "Thankyou", she whispered in his ear as tears began to well in her eyes.

_Six Hours Later_

"Helen….Helen….you need to wake up now." Helen slowly opened her eyes realising she was in her own bedroom and James was beside her, gently stroking her hand. She tried to speak but her throat was dry and no words seemed to come out.

"Shhhh it is the effect of the anaesthetic - everything went to your plan." His eyes moved to the box Nikola had presented her with now sitting under her window housing the life that had been growing inside her only hours before. The pain in her abdomen was nothing to the pain she currently felt in her heart as she turned her head on the soft pillow and looked at that box. Tears began to fall and before James knew it great gut wrenching sobs were coming from the strongest woman he knew. Not knowing what else to do he eased himself beside her on the bed and wrapped her in his arms while she cried her grief into his shoulder.

Eventually the sobs subsided but Helen didn't make any indication that she wanted him to move so he remained lying on her bed with his arms around her and her head tucked into his shoulder as if it belonged there.

"Nikola?" she questioned quietly

"Gone – I don't think your father will be very impressed with his depleted wine cellar when he returns from Mozambique. You know Nikola – loves a scientific challenge but bores quickly once the challenge is complete. He remained long enough to ensure the surgery went well and the embryo was placed in the chamber correctly."

Helen smiled at the accurate description of their friend. "Don't leave me." She whispered.

"I'll stay as long as you need me".

"I'll always need you James."

"Then I shall always be here for you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It had taken her nearly two years to find and appropriate home for 'the baby box' as James had begun calling it. Keeping it in her bedroom had lasted a short while, but the overwhelming grief every time she looked at it had become too much to bear on a daily basis. It was then moved to her study but that did not last long either, similarly the kitchen, pantry and her lab had all been tried. It had lasted longest in her father's office but the thought of him eventually returning and asking about it forced yet another move. It currently resided in a small closet off her office – carefully placed on a shelf James had built specially under the small window.

James had been her rock during the last two years – going as far as moving into the sanctuary with her so they could continue their work. Helen knew that a single man and woman living under the same roof was completely inappropriate as far as society was concerned but without James steady presence during the day and his strong arms that were there whenever she needed comforting at night she feared she may have lost her sanity.

It was during the last three months though that their relationship had begun confusing her. As she sat at her desk she thought back to New Year's Eve – although to be precise it was the wee hours of new year's morning.

**New Year**

"_I believe, my dear, that you have had entirely too much to drink" James said as he wrapped his arm around Helens waist to keep her steady._

_Helen smiled up at him. "I believe you could be correct my darling James", she promptly lost her serious tone and began to giggle. "I haven't really you know, I just feel happy, it is a new century full of endless possibilities and I just feel it is time to start anew". She said seriously once more._

"_So does this starting anew mean that you are finally going to salvage my reputation and make an honest man of me?" James asked half seriously._

_Helen stopped walking and turned to him – looking into his eyes to gauge his level of seriousness. "James we share a house – nothing more – I wasn't aware of your virtue being compromised" she smiled._

"_Ah my dear that is where you are wrong – I have spent many nights in your bed and the staff have noticed."_

"_James!" Helen squeaked horrified. "You have merely comforted me when I have woken from nightmares – there has never been anything more than that!"_

_James gently took her hand and began walking with her again. "I am just saying there has been talk and that we should probably do something about it."_

Helen stopped pretending to read the journal in front of her and sighed. That conversation had never been referred to by either of them again. Helen didn't want to bring it up because she was sure if James had been serious he would have discussed it with her again, and if he had been serious she wasn't sure whether she was ready to further their relationship to another level, hence her confusion.

There was a knock at the door and one of the maids timidly entered. "Ma'am, there is a Mr..". Before she could finish announcing his presence Nikola entered her office.

"I don't need you to tell her I'm here I am quite capable of doing that myself – now go and fetch us some tea – better yet head down to the wine cellar and bring the '67 Château d'Yquem. "

The maid looked to Helen for approval who nodded her head slightly. "I however, would appreciate the tea" she smiled at the young maid who scurried out the door.

Helen walked over to Nikola and embraced him tightly. "If I wasn't so happy to see you I would be really angry with you for terrorising my hired help." She laughed, moving away from the embrace but not letting him go. "Where have you been for the last two years? What have you been doing?"

Nikola moved to sit and study Helen ignoring her questions because he had never been able to lie to her and he knew she would disapprove of how he had been spending his time researching how to revive the sanguine vampirus race. "Well my dear Helen, living in sin obviously agrees with you , you look positively radiant."

Helen had begun moving to sit opposite him but stopped dead with his words. "Wh…What did you say?" she spluttered.

Nikola smirked, he always felt that speaking bluntly was the best way to get to the truth and judging by Helen's reaction the truth fell far short of the rumours he had been hearing. "I may not have been around much but I do hear things and the word among polite society is that you and the illustrious James Watson have been scandalously living together without the benefit of marriage. Don't get me wrong, as much as I love you myself I am far too busy to give you the attention you deserve so if dear James can fill the void, so to speak, good for him." Nikola taunted.

Helen sat there with her mouth hanging open, not sure which part of Nikolas preposterous statement to deal with first. It took her a few moments to regain her composure. "I always knew you were arrogant and pompous Nikola but believe me when I tell you that we will _never_ be together – as for James and I….."

James chose that moment to enter her study and Helen flushed glad she had not had a chance to say anything more. She seemed to be so self-conscious around him since New Year.

"Nikola! Good to see you old boy!" They shook hands as Nikola stood. "Now what is this you were about to say about the two of us Helen?"

Helen's mouth was agape once more, not really sure what she was going to say and before her quick brain could formulate something Nikola jumped in.

"I believe our dear Helen was going to deny that she is sleeping with you despite the fact that it is written all over her face that she wants to – James you really should have put that brain of yours to better use when it comes to what is right under your nose. All of upper class London is abuzz with it – of course the gentlemen are as jealous as hell over brandy but properly condemning in front of their women – don't you just love the double standard of English society?"

James and Helen stood staring at each other.

"Well I believe my work here is done." Nikola smirked as he walked over to Helen and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and whispered "_Never_ is a very long time darling". With a quick shake of James' hand Nikola left leaving two very stunned people still staring at each other.

"I guess we should talk." Helen said quietly.

"We could." James said as he moved closer to her. "Or I could just do this." He leaned in and very gently let his lips meet hers testing her reaction. Helen responded to him immediately by pressing her body against his and opening her mouth to allow him to fully taste her.

Sometime later James lay in bed watching the woman he loved sleep he decided that if he were to die today he could die a happy man. As that thought crossed his mind he realised that Helen had been given the gift of several lifetimes and he wanted to spend them all with her – it was time to start working on his own longevity.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thankyou so much for the lovely reviews I really appreciate them**

Chapter 4

It took nearly a decade for James and Helen to come up with a viable solution to James' aging but eventually they had done it. Of course during that time the sanctuary had grown considerably and kept them both very busy which was why it had taken so long, but in the end they had come up with a contraption that didn't just slow his aging but halted it completely. He would forever remain in his late 40's.

At first James had only needed to wear the chest plate they had developed for a few hours a day, by the end of the Great War he was wearing it while he slept and for several hours during the day. It was now 1945 and it had become an almost permanent fixture to his chest – the only time he dared to remove it was when he made love to Helen, which after forty five years together was surprisingly often.

They were currently on a boat returning from their adventure in Normandy. James still shuddered to think about how close they had come to losing each other. Helen was leaning on the rail of the boat so lost in thought she didn't hear him approach. "Penny for them." He smiled as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

Helen smiled and leaned into his strong, unwavering presence. "Not worth that much I'm afraid."

"Helen?" James prompted her knowing she needed to talk about what had happened in that bunker in Carentan. He knew when something was on her mind and needed a small amount of pushing to get her to talk

"I nearly lost you."

"But you didn't – it is going to take more than a psychopathic, Nazi abnormal for you to get rid of me." He joked.

Helen turned into his embrace and he saw the tears for the first time. Helen rarely cried. In fact he couldn't remember the last time.

"I can't lose you James –especially not now."

James held her close for a long time before he fully contemplated her words. "What do you mean 'especially not now'?"

Helen took a deep breath and looked into James' eyes. She had wanted to tell him weeks ago when she had first suspected but after so many false alarms and disappointments over the years she couldn't see the pain in his eyes again – she had to be sure but in the end she had it confirmed just before this mission. Possibly the most important mission they would undertake during the whole war, she couldn't allow either of them to be distracted regardless of how wonderful the new was.

"It finally happened." She said simply, knowing his deductive reasoning would figure it out.

It took a bit longer than expected before he realised what she was saying and his face was still wary. "Are you sure?" he asked gently.

Helen nodded as a tear slipped from her eye and she thought back to when they had first discussed children at the turn of the century.

_Helen snuggled further into James embrace, not for the first time wondering why she had shed so many tears over John Druitt when this wonderful man was within her reach all along. She had always known she had loved James but she also knew without a doubt she was in love with him. Perhaps it had been John breaking her heart that had allowed her to eventually let James in fully – regardless of the reason she was a woman in love and couldn't imagine her life without James._

_James was stoking circles on her back the way she loved and spoke quietly to her. "We have been sleeping together for six months now…." He started hesitantly._

"_Hmmmmmmm" was all the response he got form the sated woman curled into him._

"_We have never discussed preventing a pregnancy."_

_This statement woke her up and she sat up looking at James. "You don't think six months is a little late to be discussing this." If truth be told what little thought Helen had given to getting pregnant filled her with joy and assumed that if the inevitable happened James would also be happy. After all he had offered to marry her when she was carrying another man's child._

"_Is it too late?" he asked expectantly, almost hopefully Helen thought._

"_No". She answered. "Did you want it to be?" She asked hesitantly knowing they were venturing into unchartered territory with this discussion. _

_James was silent for what seemed like a very long time. "James?" she questioned again._

"_Yes". He breathed out finally glad to be discussing this with her. "Yes I want you to be pregnant with our child." He began to gently caress her abdomen. "I want to see you swell with a new life inside you and know that I put it there. I want to put my hand on your stomach and feel our child moving inside you and I want to be by your side as we bring that new life into the world." He said passionately._

_Helen looked up at him and saw the love shining in his eyes. "Well, I suggest Dr Watson, that we need to develop some kind of way of determining the optimum time for conception." She leaned in and kissed him before continuing. "Or…."_

_James smiled knowing what the 'or' would be. "you will just have to make love to me every day until you get what you want."_

_James laughed "Happy to oblige my dear"._

They had completely given up hope of ever having a child of their own. Helen assumed it was something to do removing the embryo that prevented her falling pregnant again and James assumed that since Helen had already conceived once the fault must lay with him – yet they never discussed it, silently they had just given up hope over the years and now by some miracle it had finally happened.

James could not conceal the joy on his face and captured Helen's lips with his own.

"I take it you are happy with the news then?" Helen laughed finally able to give in to her own happiness and revel the wonder of finally being pregnant.

"Overjoyed is more like it. How far?" he asked

"About sixteen weeks." She answered knowing what his reaction was going to be as his face began to lose its happiness. She touched a finger to his lips before he could start talking about the risk she had taken by even coming to France. "Let's just be happy about it today and you can berate me tomorrow hmm?"

James wanted to tell her how foolish she had been and rant at her for the risk she had taken but looking at her face and seeing the happiness in her eyes, a joy that hadn't been there for so long, he knew that she had only done what she felt she had to.

"No berating – today or tomorrow. I love you, you know but I do think we should talk about getting married – this does change our circumstances rather dramatically." He held her close as they both let the excitement of impending parenthood , after nearly a lifetime of waiting, wash over them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Nikola had been waiting at the dock for them – it seemed catching a Nazi spy had gone a small way to securing a tenuous amount of freedom. He was now to be kept under house arrest at the Sanctuary. Infinitely more tolerable than a dank cell somewhere but not quite how he planned to spend his considerable years. At least he would be with Helen and he was sure that between their two genius minds they could come up with a more acceptable solution.

"Nikola!" Helen embraced him warmly.

"And entourage" he grimaced sourly as he indicated the armed guard either side of him.

"They must have gained some trust in you old boy – it was four armed guards when we left." James reached out and shook Nikola's hand.

"Let's get out of here, the sooner we get to London the sooner I can divest myself of the overdressed bobbies."

Several hours later, after Helen had taken yet another look at the bullet wound on James' leg and run numerous tests to make sure John's torture had no lasting effects, Helen finally sank into a warm bath and let the stress of the last few weeks slowly seep out of her and as she ran her hand over her abdomen wondered again at the new life growing within her. She had already begun to feel some subtle changes in her body not the least of which was a thickening in her waist. She was lost in the dreamworld of their child and didn't hear James enter the bathroom.

"Still finding it had to believe my love?" He asked indulgently as he moved to sit on the side of the tub allowing his hand to join hers.

"A little." She smiled. "And you?"

"Most definitely" he grinned at her.

"Did you break the news to Nikola that there would be a baby in the house disturbing his work in a few months time?"

"Ahhh no, I thought that news would be better coming from you." His grin remained in place. "After all he's in love with you, far less likely to kill you."

"Chicken." She laughed as she rose out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel.

"Allow me to assist." He said as he took the ends of the towel and pulled her close for a kiss that even after 45 years still managed to make her toes curl.

It was over an hour later before they finally joined Nikola in the library for pre-dinner drinks, something Nikola had been indulging in for some time if the number of empty bottles on the tale were anything to go by.

"I would ask where you two have been, but honestly, with the glow coming off Helen, not to mention the self-satisfied smirk on your face, James, it doesn't take a genius like me to work out….and now I have an image in my head that only several more bottles of your best red will have a hope of dulling." Nikola took a long sip of wine and refilled his glass while Helen blushed and James poured himself a scotch.

"Helen? Soda water?" James asked

"Yes please"

Nikola looked between them and sensed something was going on, something big. He took in the ridiculous smile that hadn't left James' face since they arrived back in England. He then looked at Helen with a glass of soda water in her hand. Helen, who always drank wine with him and then there was that incandescent glow about her – se had always been beautiful but there was something more.

"Oh my God! You're pregnant!" he said disgustedly as if she had caught some dreadful disease.

Helen smiled as James moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "James and I are actually very happy about it."

"Oh Helen how could you?" Nikola sighed dramatically. "And you!" he turned on James. "You couldn't keep your hands to yourself."

Helen actually laughed at Nikolas reaction. "Are you worried we won't love you anymore?"

"Oh please." He took another long sip of wine and refilled his glass. "How will I ever get any work done if there is always a screaming baby under foot. If you two had any consideration for my feelings you would have waited until I could at least go somewhere else but noooooooo you two had to decide to procreate while I am under house arrest with no escape!"

There was silence for a while before Helen finally spoke quietly. "Sometimes it isn't always about you Nikola." She took a deep calming breath and walked out of the room.

Nikola and James watched Helen leave the room and James decided it would be best to leave her to work through her anger at Nikola by herself. Nikola had actually taken the news better than James expected. James knew their friend was selfish to the core while Helen still held on to the notion that when it came to the important things Nikola thought of others. They took seats opposite each other and were silent for some time.

"So I take it that little display of hormones is what we can expect for the next few months?" Nikola asked.

"She really had hoped you would be happy for her – oh I know it doesn't fit with your idea of the perfect working environment – but she wants this more than anything – has done for a very long time." James responded.

"If she has wanted it for so damn long why now? Why when I am here ?" Nikola demanded.

James sighed and thought maybe if Nikola knew the whole story he might show Helen a small amount of kindness – if he was at all capable of it. "We have been trying to have a child since we first became a couple. Helen has suffered through eleven miscarriages and it has been over twenty years since either of us have even thought about the possibility of a child. We even considered implanting the embryo – but you know Helen, didn't think it was fair to me – she was determined for us to conceive. As far as Helen is concerned this child is a miracle and I will not allow anyone – especially you Nikola, to take away any of her happiness!" James took a drink before continuing after his impassioned speech. "Honestly, can you imagine anyone being a better mother?"

"No, I suppose not." Nikola said begrudgingly as he thought of Helens' loving heart and gentle soul. "I imagine it will be kept in a nursery with a nanny for the first few years, until it becomes interesting."

James didn't like disillusion his friend too early on, but he very much doubted Helen would even employ a nanny let alone keep their child hidden away in a nursery.

"I guess I will be able to teach it things – almost like a protégé and I can start very early so it won't pick up any bad habits. With you and Helen as parents the child will obviously be more intelligent than most and with me as it's uncle, guiding and teaching making up for any deficiencies in the poor child's genetic make-up. Why this child could rule the world!"

"Steady on old boy – poor child isn't even going to arrive for another six months." James said bemusedly. If Nikola was planning world domination then he wasn't overly upset by the pending arrival. "Just don't let Helen know of your plans – no telling how she might react with all those rampant hormones." He smirked, he looked forward to filling Helen in himself on Nikolas plan for their child.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to everyone who has left a review for this story - it really makes my day.**

Chapter 6

"Helen, you have to get me out of here! I can't bear another moment being shackled to this house, not able to continue with my work and having to watch you and Jimmy getting all lovesick it's enough to make even an immortal like me want to top himself!" Nikola announced as he strolled into Helen's office with his usual dramatic air. "I thought I could handle it, I really did – but a genius can only do so much with the sub-standard equipment you keep in the mausoleum and as for all this baby nonsense and James continually pawing at your ever expanding girth…ugh!"

"Lovely to see you too Nikola." Helen smirked indulgently. She knew how frustrated her friend was becoming and had been expecting this type of outburst for some time. In fact, she had been working on a plan for several weeks. She got up from behind her desk and went to sit next to Nikola on the lounge.

Nikolas eyes bulged as he saw her. "Oh my god you're huge! I mean, even for a pregnant woman?"

Helen was shocked, not so much by the inappropriateness of the comment, for that was pure Nikola but more by the fact that he would even know how big a pregnant woman should look. He never ceased to amaze her sometimes. She placed a protective hand over her stomach and caressed her child gently. "Considering there is a six month old foetus inside me I would say I am roughly the right size." She said objectively.

"Wouldn't it be amazing if there was a way looking inside the uterus to measure foetal growth." Nikola said, his eyes alight with scientific possibilities.

Helen was about to respond when the baby kicked rather sharply and she let out a small gasp. Nikola looked at her with concern. "Nothing to worry about – your godchild was simply agreeing with you."

Nikola tentatively reached his hand out but decided better of it. Helen, seeing the movement grabbed his hand gently and placed I on her stomach where the baby had kicked. After only a moment the baby kicked again and Nikola gasped and looked at Helen. "Fascinating", he said with awe.

"It definitely is." She smiled. "Now, about losing your will to live, I have actually been giving it some thought. I have come up with several ideas that will buy you some time but I'm sure the authorities will catch up with you. I think the most permanent solution to the problem will be to fake your death – you will be able to continue your work and no-one will question why you aren't aging."

Nikola considered what she had just said and a smile crossed his face. "I assume you have a plan my dear?"

Helen grinned. "As a matter of fact I do, the only thing is we are going to have to keep this from James, it is a little bit left of legal and with his ties to Scotland Yard I don't want there to be any repercussions for him."

A week later Helen had made sure James was out of the Sanctuary when she and Nikola were to put their plan into action. Helen hugged her friend goodbye in the privacy of her study and proceeded to head upstairs for a rest as planned making sure she stopped by the kitchen to ask for a cup of tea to be bought up to her, thus ensuring she had an alibi for the sudden disappearance of a man who was supposedly under house arrest in her home.

Nikola meanwhile went down to the cellar, making a short unplanned stop in front of the chateau Margeaux and quickly pocketing a bottle for sustenance. He took one last look over his shoulder before heading through the tunnel secretly hidden under a barrel in corner of the cellar. He was suddenly hit with a pang of loss. He was shocked to realise he was going to miss Helen and James and what shocked him more was that he was going to miss meeting their child and seeing Helen as a mother. He shook of the feeling that he was leaving his family behind and headed forward – he was Nikola Tesla and Nikola Tesla didn't need anyone.

A week later James was out at his gentlemen's club when there was a knock at the door. Helen had given the maid the night off and slowly moved to open the front door.

"Ah Dr Magnus I am so glad you are home - my name is Percival, I have been told that you are the person to come to if one has a problem with….shall we call them….beings not of this world"

Helen looked at him sceptically. "What can I do for you Mr Percival?" Helen asked neither confirming or denying what he man had said and making sure her body remained shielded behind the front door.

"I am a friend of those that live beneath the city – those who inhabit the tunnels. I have had word that there have been strange sightings of an animal the likes of which no-one has ever seen."

"I fail to see what this has to do with me." Helen hedged.

"This animal needs to be caught quickly – it appears to be growing at an alarmingly quick rate and is terrifying the sub terrainian dwellers. Please Dr Magnus?" The man pleaded.

Helen knew what he said was true – if indeed there was an abnormal living in the sewer cities below London then it did need to be contained quickly. She knew it was not a job she could take on this evening – not in her present condition and with James out for the evening but it certainly wouldn't hurt her to speak to those who had seen the creature to try and determine what they were dealing with.

"Let me get my coat Mr Percival".

Two hours later with her stomach roiling at the stench of the sewers Helen was fairly certain they were dealing with a Dipliniacota, a rapidly growing lizard-like abnormal with a powerful tail that injected poison into its prey if touched.

As she followed Percival up the steel ladder leading out of the sewers, she heard a low growling sound and as she turned to see what it was a large tail swiped at her knocking her off the ladder causing her to fall several feet to the ground below.

Percival looked down in shock and it was only then with her body splayed on the ground and her coat fallen open that he realised she was with child. He quickly reached for his gun and shot at the Dipliniacota as it advanced on the prone woman, causing it to fall dead several feet from her. Helen had explained about the creature as they were leaving the sewers and he understood the urgency of getting her to medical help before the poison had a chance to spread through her body. He just hoped Dr Watson would be home when he got her back to the Sanctuary because he knew full well this was not something conventional medical science would be able to deal with.


	7. Chapter 7

**A short one full of angst - tissue alert! Thanks for the lovely reveiws - it is so nice to know people are reading and enjoying.**

Chapter 7

It had been three weeks since the attack. Helen spent the entire time either in the infirmary or in her room, not even leaving for meals. She remained in an awake, comatose state, never even acknowledging anyone who entered her room.

James had yet to come near her, other than to briefly check the incision he had had to make in her stomach in order to try and save their child's life, but it had been too late, the poison had spread through Helen's system too quickly, the baby had already died. James had had to supress his grief and concentrate his energies on trying to save Helen. He had nearly lost her three times in that first 24 hours.

Once they hit the one month mark James knew they would have to speak if they were to have any chance of salvaging their relationship. With that in mind he entered their room – a room he hadn't even wanted to occupy for the last month.

"I think it's past time we spoke don't you?" he greeted solemnly.

Helen looked up at him with glazed eyes that had obviously shed a lot of tears and he almost forgot his anger at her – almost.

"What do you think needs to be said James – your actions have made it abundantly clear that you blame me entirely for the loss of our baby – believe me, nothing you can say can possibly make me feel any more guilty than I already do".

"Dammit Helen you were reckless, just like you always are! You put your life and the life of our child – a child you claimed to want more than anything – at risk for something you know damn well you were ill equipped to handle on your own even if you hadn't been pregnant – but you always know best, you always have to do things your own way, regardless of consequences. This time you paid the highest price and you also made me and our child pay too. You made our child pay with it's life!"

Helen looked at James mutely. She was wrong, apparently he could make her feel worse. She though briefly of trying to explain that she had never intended to go anywhere near the creature, that she would never have even considered going if he had been home but in the face of his anger and grief she knew it would be pointless.

They remained looking at each other silently and sadly both aware of the tears sliding down their faces. Both knowing this was the end for them. Helen craved the feeling of his arms around her one last time telling her everything was going to be okay but she knew this time it wouldn't be okay. This time there would be no strong, supportive James to help her work her grief. It suddenly hit her that she had lost so much more than their child.

One month later Helen entered James' office. They had barely spoken in the last month, the chasm between them ever widening which is what ultimately prompted Helen speaking to him.

"James?" she said quietly but confidently.

The only response she received was a lifting of his head to look at her.

Helen took a deep breath and began, "This situation is not healthy for either of us. You can barely look at me and I can't look at you without being overwhelmed by what we have lost, and I am not just talking about the baby." She looked at him – still no reaction.

"I have decided it would be best if I left." She was sure she saw a spark of something in his eyes then, she just didn't want to look too closely in case what she saw was relief rather than regret. "I was thinking of perhaps America or Australia, starting over, possibly even creating a network of sanctuaries throughout the world. I think I want to focus on work, on building something I can be proud of. I love you James." She choked trying to get the words out. "More than anything I wanted to create a family with you but I think we both know our relationship isn't going to survive this. I would rather leave now before we further hurt each other. I hope that one day we can rebuild the friendship we once had. I treasure you in my life and I can't bear the thought of losing you forever."

"America or Canada. You should go to either America or Canada." Was the only response she received. Tears streaked down her cheeks.

"Right, okay then." She waited for him to say more, to say something, when nothing was forthcoming she turned to leave, her heart breaking even more if that was possible. As she reached the door he finally spoke.

"We will become friends again Helen, it is just going to take time." He rose and walked to her taking her hands in his. "It is just hard to have everything I ever wanted within my grasp to have it ripped away so cruelly and to know that it was so unnecessary. Logically I understand, I am just having trouble dealing with the emotions."

Helen looked up at the man that would always have a special place in her heart. "I will contact you when I am settled and let you know where I am."

James nodded and released her hands as he watched her walk out of his life.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Helen eyed the telegram in her hand – in her experience telegrams rarely delivered good news but she knew whatever it contained would be important. She gently slid a nail under the paper and read:

_Sorry to inform you. Nigel deceased. Funeral Friday. James_

Tears formed in Helen's eyes. Of the five she had probably been least close to Nigel but it didn't change the fact that he had been her friend for nearly a hundred years and it was the first member of the Five to die. John had certainly disappeared but she was unsure whether he was alive or dead. And Nikola. She missed Nikola far more than she thought possible. It had been over fifteen years since they had faked his death and she had never heard from him. Occasionally she would become aware of some new invention that she was sure he had been a part of but she had never gone looking for him and he had never made contact with her.

Helen pulled herself together and called her staff in to let them know that she would be going to England on the first available flight.

As the wheels touched down Helen suddenly became nervous. This was her first trip home since she left all those years ago. Certainly she had spoken to James many times but always about Sanctuary business, never anything more personal than a courteous 'how are you?' followed by a 'fine'. In a little over an hour she would be face to face with him for the first time since both their hearts had been broken.

As the cab pulled up in front of her childhood home Helen had to supress the butterflies that were rampant in her stomach. Before the driver had even retrieved the luggage James was standing at the front door ready to welcome her.

Dear James. He hadn't changed a bit, except for the odd smattering of grey hair. Helen realised her nerves had been ridiculous – certainly they had been to hell and back together, and they may no longer be lovers, but their friendship, while tested was stronger because of their history.

"Helen! You look wonderful!" He grasped one hand and the other reached up to one to touch her hair. "I love the hair by the way."

Helen self-consciously touched her now long curly brown hair. "All part of the new me" she smiled but James noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes. In fact, as he looked more closely at his oldest friend he saw a sadness in her that she obviously worked hard to make sure no-one saw, but there was also a hardness to her face that had never been there before. She had obviously put walls around her true emotions in order to try and avoid being hurt.

Several hours, and bottles of wine later it almost felt like old times – almost.

"So other than creating new Sanctuaries around the world, what have you been doing with yourself my dear?" James was fishing for details of her personal life and she knew it, it just wasn't a topic she wanted to discuss with him. Somehow telling him about the string of emotionless affairs she had in the last few years didn't seem appropriate.

Helen smiled knowing she was about to shock James. "I have learnt to fly a helicopter, and I am about 20 flight hours away from having my plane licence." She took in his stunned expression and continued, "I also old a black belt in several martial arts and shoot anything with deadly accuracy with any weapon I choose".

"Well, I will have to be certain not to upset you while you are visiting – sounds like you can kill me ten different ways." He grinned at her.

"Thirty seven actually." She laughed back.

The tension had been broken and they were both starting to relax around each other again.

"I really must be turning in, it's been a very long day," Helen said. James rose and offered her his hand to help her off the lounge. As she stood their bodies aligned and it felt so familiar and natural. James leaned closer and his lips met Helen's for the first time in over a decade. Helen eased into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his middle. She had drunk just enough wine to let down the emotional walls she had erected. As James hand began to untuck her shirt good sense reclaimed her and she slowly, almost reluctantly pulled away.

Taking a deep breath she spoke. "James, it would be so easy to fall back into bed with you." She spoke quietly and gently as her thumb traced his lips. "But we both know it would ultimately be a very bad idea. I can't…I can't lose you again…..I can't take that chance."

James looked at the woman in front of him. She had changed so much, she was no longer the carefree spirit she once was, she was guarded and careful. Clearly the loss of their child and their relationship had taken it's toll on her emotionally.

"Helen, I want you to be happy. It's all I have ever wanted. Don't let our past stop you from finding someone and having a future."

Helen looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't do that James, I can't allow myself to get close to people, to love people knowing I am just going to have to watch them die….it hurts far too much." She took a shaky breath. "That's why I can't lose you James. Nigel is dead, Nikola has disappeared and I don't even want to think about what havoc John is up to. You are the last tie to the old me, the only one who understands what it is like to have lived for 112 years to have seen what we have, to have done what we have…I know we haven't been close for a long time but I need that to change….I need my friend back." Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks as James pulled her into his strong embrace.

"I have never left you Helen and I will always be here when you need me".


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Helen sat staring at the 'baby box'. It had been over a hundred years since Nikola had built it for her. It had served its purpose far longer than she had ever intended and now it was failing. She had been monitoring its power for nearly thirty years now – ever since technology had caught up with Nikolas genius and she had the equipment to do it. She had noticed the change in the readings a month ago – barely noticeable at first, but now there was no denying it, the box had reached the end of its life and therefore she now had to make a decision about the life contained within it's walls.

In the end there was really no choice to be made. She had devoted her whole life to protecting life in all its forms, it would make her the worst type of hypocrite to not give her own child the same opportunity. At least that was what her head was telling her. Her heart, well that was another matter indeed. As much as she wanted to ignore the purely selfish reasons she couldn't. She was lonely. She and James had repaired their friendship but he was still a nine hour flight away. It wasn't the same as having someone there for you on a daily basis. Her heart also still longed to be a mother, to know what it was like to give and receive that unconditional love.

"Dr Magnus ….. Dr Magnus…..The procedure is complete." Brian, her latest protégé, said quietly.

Helen had balked at asking him to do it, but she trusted no-one else, except maybe James and she knew she could never ask him to do it – not with their history and she still had yet to work up the courage to even tell him what she was planning.

"Thank you Brian." She grasped his hand. "I appreciate this more than you will ever know." She smiled at him. "I guess now I have to play the waiting game for a couple of weeks….I think I shall go to my room and rest for the remainder of the day…..will you be able to manage?"

Brian laughed. "I have worked with you for over twenty years, we have hunted all manner of abnormals together an now to add to the list of strange and bizarre I have just impregnated you with a hundred year old foetus…..I think I can manage the phones for a few hours."

Helen lay on her bed and gently placed her hand on her stomach willing the foetus to attach itself to her uterus. As a scientist she knew it would do absolutely no good at all, but as a mother she figured it couldn't possibly hurt and with her history of miscarriages she knew that the chances of even carrying this life to term were slim.

While she lay there her mind began to wander to the past and the last time she had been pregnant, how happy and excited she had been. How eager she had been to share the news with James knowing how happy and excited he would be when she told him. She was missing that joyful expectation as she lay on her bed alone.

Two weeks later Helen held the stick in her hand and looked at the two pink lines that had appeared and burst into tears.

Once she had stopped sobbing and managed to get her wayward emotions back under control she willed herself not to get excited – she had been down this road before and it had lead to heartache so many times.

She took a deep calming breath and left her bathroom to go and inform her team that effective immediately she would be off all missions and would be concentrating of running the network and lab work.

Three months later Helen allowed herself a glimmer of excitement, aside from debilitating morning sickness that had landed her in the infirmary on a drip the pregnancy was progressing perfectly normally. She had still yet to tell James or any of the other Sanctuary heads but she knew that time was fast approaching. There had already been questions about her lack of involvement on several missions.

Helen rolled over in bed and placed her hand on her stomach. At six months pregnant she had really only just started to show – something she was quite grateful for but she knew the time had come – her team had covered for her enough. She couldn't let James find out with the rest of the Heads of House though – they had far too much history and she respected him far too much to do that too him.

She reached over and grabbed the phone by the bed and dialled the familiar number. It rang several times before the housekeeper finally answered.

"Hello Bridie, it's Helen Magnus, I was wondering if I might speak to James please?"

"Dr Magnus! How lovely to hear from you but Dr Watson left late yesterday for a trip and I'm afraid he didn't tell me where he was going or how long he would be gone."

Helen was deflated, after finally summoning the courage to finally tell James she had not anticipated him not being there.

"Please ask him to call me as soon as he returns, it's quite urgent I speak with him."

"I will Dr Magnus and if her calls before then I will have him call you."

"Thank you Bridie". Helen hung up the phone feeling slightly depressed. Rather than giving into it though she decided to get up and start her day. She was planning to open a Sanctuary in Sydney and the realtor had sent her a list of possible sites yesterday and she was dying to start looking through them.

After a shower and a quick breakfast – something her dear old friend refused to allow her to skip, she was walking to her office as the doorbell rang. The sound startled her, with the security measures they had in place only someone with an access code could get through the front gate. Checking to make sure he gun was in place and easy reach, she opened the front door a small amount.

"James!" She paled at the sight of the man she had tried to speak to no more than half an hour ago.

James entered the large foyer and put down his bag and scrutinised Helen from head to toe.

"Why the bloody hell didn't you tell me?" He demanded.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rarely at a loss for words, Helen really didn't know how to respond to James.

"Close your mouth my dear – it is a very unbecoming look for you." James said gently as he retrieved his bag and grasped Helen's arm and began walking towards the residential wing.

"How did you know?" Helen asked allowing him to guide her.

"Oh I didn't know for certain, but you have been acting guarded for months now and I have sensed that you have been keeping something from me and I suspected that the 'baby box' would start to show signs of age and I knew what you would do when that happened." James explained as he opened the door to the room he always used when he stayed in Old City.

James deposited his suitcase on the chair and grasped Helen's arms and held them wide so he could get a good look at her. Helen was uncomfortable under James' scrutiny. The man had a mind like a steel trap and she knew she would not be able to get anything past him like she did with her staff.

"You're not sleeping and your blood pressure is up. On the bed with your feet up while I unpack and you can explain to me why I had to travel so far to find out about this rather amazing turn of events".

Helen knew better than to bother arguing with him and slipped her jacket and shoes off and climbed up onto the enormous four poster bed. "You already know why James – the stasis chamber was degrading and I had to make a choice." Helen said knowing it wasn't really the question he wanted answered.

"Ah so I was right. And now for the hard part – why, as your oldest friend, am I only finding out about it now?"

Helen sighed, she knew she had to be honest with James. "I didn't want to hurt you. With our history, babies are not something I felt comfortable talking about with you."

James placed the last of his clothes in the drawer and climbed up next to Helen on the bed and put his arm behind her so she could rest her head on his shoulder. "Helen, yes we have a difficult past, but that is as much my fault as yours. I treated you dreadfully and I know I let you shoulder the blame for what happened, but it was over forty years ago. I don't hold you responsible." James placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you." Helen said quietly. It didn't stop her for blaming herself for the loss of their child but it did ease some of the ache in her heart knowing James no longer held her responsible.

James placed his hand on the swell of Helen's stomach. Helen would have never allowed anybody else to take such liberties but this was James, her oldest friend and while not the father of the child certainly an integral part of its history.

"Are you happy?" James asked as he felt the child move slowly within her.

Knowing she had to be honest, Helen answered. "Yes, I suppose I am. I know I am excited to meet this little one, but I'm nervous and frankly terrified at times. I have a wonderful team but it isn't the same as having family".

"Would you like me to stay until after the baby arrives?" James asked.

Helen turned in his arm so she could see his face. "Would you?"

"Of course I will."

Three months later Helen was sitting up in bed in the infirmary, waiting for James to bring in her daughter. Helen smiled at the thought…. 'her daughter' – it sounded so wonderful.

She had woken up only hours ago in her room with searing pain in her abdomen, she had been feeling contractions for several days but nothing as intense as this. She lay on her side waiting for the pain to subside and glancing quickly at her watch. After three more contractions that were at regular intervals, each more intense than the last, she was certain she was in labour.

She walked across the hall and woke James to let him know the contractions had started, he had insisted on being part of everything, even though she knew it could be hours before anything actually happened. As she had woken James though she had felt liquid gushing between her legs and realised that perhaps things might happen a bit quicker than she had anticipated.

Just over an hour later, after what James described as 'a disgustingly quick and easy birth', she had held her daughter in her arms for the first time and fallen immediately in love.

Just as she was beginning to worry that there may be something wrong James walked into the room. In his arms was a tiny bundle wrapped in a white blanket. He handed the precious angel to her and once again Helen couldn't believe the rush of love she felt, as well as being amazed that this little person she was no holding in her arms was, until an hour ago, inside her.

"She is perfect Helen." Helen smiled, not taking her eyes of the baby in her arms.

"Thank you James, thank you so much for being here with me, for delivering her, for being my friend." Helen glanced up at him with unshed tears in her eyes. Just as James was about to respond the baby began to fuss. Instinctively Helen lifted her top and began to feed the baby. James turned away, wanting to give Helen some privacy.

Helen laughed as she saw James' reaction. "Oh Jimmy we were lovers for over fifty years, you have done far more with this breast than this child will ever do, I can't believe you are embarrassed."

"I was trying to be a gentleman". He said defensively but with the hint of a grin on his face. "So are you planning to name her or are we going to refer to her as 'the baby' for the rest of her life?"

"I was thinking of Ashley…Ashley Jamie Magnus." Helen looked up at James hoping he would understand the significance of her middle name. Judging by the smile on his face he did.


	11. Chapter 11

**Time for Nikola to make an appeareance because I missed him and I think he is here to stay if my muse has anything to do about it.**

Chapter 11

Nikola sat down on the bench partially obscured by a large tree, the perfect place to observe yet not be observed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some breadcrumbs for the pigeons whilst never taking his eyes off the smiling woman and the laughing child.

Her hair was long and dark now, much nicer than the brassy red it was in the forties, but it was the smile that drew Nikola in, it was that smile he had fallen in love with, all those decades ago. Even during his sixty years of exile it was the thought of seeing her smile again that kept him going.

The child was obviously Druitts' – he reasoned that Helen must have finally carried the century old embryo to term and he felt a welling of smug pride that it had been possible because of him and his genius. As children went he assumed the child was attractive, she had a smile just like her mother so that made her more endearing than most, but she couldn't be any more than three or four judging by the size of her which meant she would be insufferably annoying.

Nikola continued to watch them as they ate their picnic lunch. It was obviously the child's birthday as Helen presented her with a cupcake with a candle on it. Helen was watching the child devour the cake as she sipped from a cup that he was sure would contain tea – it was good to see some things never changed. As she finished the tea the small girl launched herself at her mother, wrapping her arms around her neck tightly and Nikola saw the love shining in Helen's eyes – in fact he had never seen her look happier than she did at that moment with a thoroughly messy child attached to her, showering her in kisses.

Nikola had briefly entertained the idea of disclosing himself but after seeing Helen interacting with her daughter he knew now was not their time. He had no doubt that they would eventually be together but she needed to be a mother at the moment and he had no interest in being a father or even a father figure. They were immortal, Nikola had no doubt their time would come.

It was six years before Nikola gave in to the urge to see Helen again. Just like last time he remained hidden but made sure he could hear the conversation between Helen and her child. This side of Helen intrigued him, he still had no desire to ever be part of it, but he was having trouble reconciling the scientist he knew her to be with the nurturing mother she clearly was.

"But Muuuuum it was Henry's idea." Nikola wondered who this Henry was. A school friend perhaps?

"And I will be talking to Henry when we get home but for the moment I would like you to please explain to me why you both thought it would be a good idea for the school bell to ring half an hour early today?"

Ashley sighed dramatically and knew it would be no good trying to deny her involvement and figured it would be best to go with the truth. "You know Mr Edison the science teacher?" Helen nodded. "Can you think of a more perfect name for a science teacher….except maybe Mr Tesla…." Helen tried to supress a smirk, Nikola would love the fact that she had a child whose favourite subject was science.

She didn't think of Nikola often, to be honest she was far too busy, but when she did she always felt a pang of sadness. He drove her crazy but she missed him just the same. She absently wondered what he would think of Ashley and had to hold in a laugh, what on earth was she fantasizing about, Nikola hated children. Even if he had been a part of her life for the last sixty years Henry and Ashley would certainly have kept him scarce for the last decade.

"Ashley! Focus!" Helen reprimanded, trying to get them both back to the topic at hand.

From his hiding place Nikola didn't bother to even try to hide his wide grin – he liked this kid.

"Well" Ashley continued, "Mr Edison is retiring and some of the kids wanted to give him a bit of a farewell but the principal wouldn't give us any time out of class and we have planned an afternoon tea and a play and everything and I was telling Henry how much work we had put in and how much we all loved Mr Edison and he was Henry's favourite teacher ever so we decided if the old battle-axe wouldn't give us any time off to say goodbye properly then we would have to take matters into our own hands!" Helen was certain her daughter hadn't even taken a breath during her impassioned explanation.

Helen listened patiently but truly wasn't sure if she should go with her instinct and be somewhat proud of her resourceful child or reprimand her for doing the wrong thing. In the end she decided for a bit of both.

Nikola on the other had had no such parental responsibilities and admired the childs' spunk. She wasn't getting what she wanted so she found a way around the problem. Perhaps having a child like Ashley wouldn't be so bad.

"Ashley you and Henry have to understand that even doing the wrong thing for a good reason is still the wrong thing." Ashley looked downcast. "Perhaps after you apologise to your principal we can go and ask Mr Edison if he would like to join us for dinner tonight? I'm sure Henry would love the opportunity to see him and perhaps explain how a twelve year old boy was able to hack into the school computer system and change the bell times." Helen tried in vain to supress a smile, she just couldn't help being proud of the two children she was raising.

Nikola watched them walk off together and wondered who the hell this Henry was, while Ashelys' self-confidence appealed to him, this Henry kid and his technical ability fascinated him. Perhaps he should invite himself over for dinner too? He gave himself a mental shake – he was Nikola Tesla and children did not interest him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Just a short one because I thought Nikola should have some interaction before Ashley before she disappears (because no-one really dies in sci-fi). SPOILER ALERT from here on all four seasons are fair game.**

Chapter 12

Nikola took in the appearance of the young woman in front of him and couldn't believe that her mother had let her leave the house looking like that. If it had been his daughter….no don't even go there, he reprimanded himself.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he helped her off the ground.

"Yes I'm fine!" She answered indignantly. "I was handling it, I didn't need your help!"

Nikola smirked, the arrogance of youth and the feisty independence of her mother, quite a force to be reckoned with. "Yes, you looked like you were handling it beautifully…. If your intention was to be gang raped by a bunch of thugs in an alley".

Ashley didn't realise they had been walking as they spoke until they reached his car.

"Get in." Nikola commanded as he opened the door for her.

Ashley turned to him defiantly. "I am not getting in a car with you! I don't know you!"

Nikola looked at her witheringly. "Really? You get yourself into a situation in a back alley that no young woman should ever be in but you won't get into your rescuers car so he can take you home. Get. In. The. Car. Ashley!"

Ashley was stunned, no-one had ever spoken to her like that – well no-one except her mother that is. This complete stranger was treating her just like her mother did. It took a moment for her mind to catch up – how the hell did he know her name?

"Fine!"

Nikola walked around to the driver side of the car thanking whatever gods were out there that he had never wanted children. This kind of attitude on a daily basis would become irritating very quickly.

As they drove off Ashley demanded. "So, how do you know my name?"

Ah she had noticed that little slip up. He'd had no intention of giving away the fact that he knew exactly who she was. Damn. "I am a friend of the family."

"Yeah. I don't think so. Try again."

"Okay I am an old friend of your mother's and I would prefer, like you I am sure, that she didn't find out about the little incident tonight and my involvement."

"Why?"

"I can't imagine Helen being too happy with the fact that her sixteen year old daughter snuck out of the house looking like that and got herself into such a dangerous situation." Nikola pulled to a stop at the traffic lights and stared at the young woman.

"No. I mean why don't you want her to know about you? And just who exactly are you anyway?"

Nikola smiled. He liked her. He hadn't expected to like her, oh she was a wilful teenager which would probably be tiresome to have to live with on a daily basis but she was sharp and she didn't back down from a fight.

"I think I would like to keep a certain amount of mystery between us. Let's just say I have been watching you for a long time and I will continue to do so – so if you ever get your leather clad ass into a situation like that again I will…."

"Put me over you knee and spank me?" Ashley smirked hoping the double meaning would make the man uncomfortable. Unfortunately it didn't.

"Oh no something far worse than that… I will tell you mother, and I know she carries all manner of weaponry and she is not afraid to use them."

Ashley thought about his assessment of the situation – her mother finding about what happened tonight was probably the worst case scenario, she would never hear the end of all the dangers that were out in the big bad world and how she went looking for trouble and how her reckless attitude would get her into serious trouble one day – all lectures she had heard many times, in various forms, over the years. He obviously did know her mother well.

Ashley wasn't surprised he knew where she lived as he pulled up in front of the Sanctuary, but before she could escape from the car he centrally locked the doors and turned to her.

"Do I have your promise that you will not sneak out again and get yourself into situations you cannot handle?" There was silence from the other side of the car. "Ashley?"

"What are you – my father or something?" Ashley asked quietly almost expecting a positive response judging by the mans' actions tonight.

Nikola laughed. "God forbid! No Ashley, I am exactly what I said – an old friend of your mother's. Now get inside before she realises you are gone, otherwise tonight's little escapade in the alley will look like a walk in the park." Nikola unlocked the car and watched the teen leave. He smiled. Helen certainly had her hands full with that one. At least she had become interesting and independent, perhaps it was time to make a reappearance in Helen's life.


	13. Chapter 13

**Another Chapter for you today because it is my 15th wedding anniversary and I am really happy (and pretty tipsy). The muse is doing nothing I wanted her to do today so instead of more Nikola it is more mother/daughter bonding although he does get a few mentions. Thanks for all the lovely reviews- they make me ridiculously happy.**

Chapter 13

Helen could not believe what had transpired that day. Nikola had shown up out of the blue told her she looked hot, kissed her (which had had far more effect on her than she wanted to think about at the moment), told her he loved her and then proceeded to try and kill her.

Beyond bizarre didn't even begin to cover it and considering her line of work, bizarre was an everyday occurrence. It was so typical of Nikola – it was always about him and he dragged her into whatever trouble he had brewing, just like back at Oxford. The number of times her father had had to intervene on her behalf so she wasn't asked to leave because she had been involved in one of Nikolas hair brained schemes didn't bear thinking about. A century later nothing had changed.

None of that compared to the fact that Ashley had discovered the identity of her father, something Helen had hoped never to have to reveal to her daughter. Helen had hoped to spend the evening talking to Ashley explaining why she had made the decisions she had made but in true Ashley style her way of coping had been to go out and find the noisiest, crowded night club she could.

Three days later they had still barely spoken and Helen needed to clear the air. She needed her daughter to understand.

"Ashley?" she asked tentatively as she entered her daughters room and seeing her work out her aggression on the punching bag.

"Mum" Ashley puffed, not stopping.

"Wishing that were me?" Helen asked indicating the punching bag with her head.

"Nope. You were yesterday. Today it's dear old dad." She said sarcastically

"Ahh". Helen moved to sit on the edge of her daughters bed. "Is it helping?"

"Not really". Ashley stopped punching.

"I would like to talk about why I didn't tell you about him."

"Oh after meeting tall, bald and creepy I can totally understand why you didn't tell me. For years I imagined James was my father and I couldn't work out why you didn't just tell me and then I didn't understand why you aged so slowly but I didn't. Baldy enlightened me about a lot of questions I had throughout my childhood."

"I didn't realise you had questions, why didn't you ever come to me?"

Ashley merely raised an eyebrow and Helen knew the answer – it was the same reason they had never seen Rome together – she had always been too busy. She felt ashamed of how badly she had failed her daughter.

"I have time now, you can ask me anything you want."

"And you will answer me honestly?"

"Absolutely".

Ashley was quiet for a while. "Okay I guess we should go back to the beginning. What the hell did you see in the creep? I mean I assume it wasn't some kind of immaculate conception?"

Helen smiled. "No you definitely weren't that. John was different then, the man I fell in love with was gentle and kind, we were engaged and planning a large family but after we injected ourselves with the source blood that all seemed to change, he became a different man."

"So you loved him when I was…..you know". Ashley waved her hand to finish the sentence.

"When you were conceived?" Helen smiled. "A part of me will always love your father because he is your father, but when we became engaged I loved him with my whole heart." Helen did not want to have to give her daughter the details of the night of her conception.

"Okay then, what about James?"

Helen got a wistful smile on her face. "John was my first love and it was …..intense. James was more like my other half. We were together for over fifty years." This seemed to shock Ashley.

"How did I not know that?"

"It was over long before you were born. But we remained friends. The end of our relationship was heartbreaking for both of us. It took us a long time to get back to being friends."

"If you were together for so long and loved each other so much why didn't you marry him? I mean you were going to marry my father so you obviously don't have some feminist dislike of the idea?"

Helen smiled and Ashley moved to sit cross legged on her bed facing her mother.

"No I actually like the idea of marriage. I like the idea of committing yourself to one special person – someone you can't imagine not spending the rest of your life with, but in answer to your question, the simple answer is James never actually asked me. In fairness to him we did discuss getting married in general terms on several occasions, usually when I got pregnant, but he never got around to officially asking me."

"Wait! What did you say? You discussed getting married when you got pregnant?"

Helen took Ashley's hand in hers. "I had a number of miscarriages during my relationship with James. It what makes having you so important and special."

Ashley was having trouble digesting all this information about her kick ass mother. She had never been like other mums, she had never been a PTA, bake sale kind of mother but the woman Helen had been in her past sounded very much like she could have been. "What about me? If you and James had managed to have this perfect family you would still be together – where would that have left me, still frozen somewhere?"

"No! Ashley it was always my intention to have you and if I could have ten more just like you I would, you have been, and always will be the one thing in my life that I am most proud of." Helen hugged her daughter and vowed they would spend more time together – just the two of them.

"One last question?" Ashley asked as she moved out of her mothers embrace.

"Anything".

"Who was the vampire back in Rome, have I met him before? He looked familiar."

"Ahhh Nikola. How do I explain Nikola?" Helen answered with an indulgent smile. "Nikola Tesla is probably the single most arrogant, temperamental, selfish, genius you will ever come across. He only ever does anything if it suits him and furthers his agenda, he is rude to just about everybody he has ever met and tells you he loves you in one breath and tries to kill you with the next. I haven't seen him in over sixty years and yet the desire to shoot him was overwhelming BUT if it weren't for him I wouldn't have you, so for that alone I can just about forgive him anything."

Ashley listened to the words her mother was saying, but it was her tone of voice as she said them that really gave her the answer to her question. Clearly this vampire drove her mother nuts but she had feelings for him anyway. The question was 'what exactly were those feelings?' Ashley knew better than to ask her mother that question because she doubted even her mother could answer that one at the moment.


	14. Chapter 14

**So this didn't turn out anywhere near what I planned - for a start it was supposed to be Nikola comforting Helen which is so not what it turned out to be...have a read and you'll see what I mean. This one is full of angst but I promise it will lighten up next chapter.**

Chapter 14

Nikola had spent two days locked away in his room in the Sanctuary coming to terms with what he and John had done. A month long killing spree with Jack the Ripper was not his idea of a good time. He hated killing and he hated John yet he had done it anyway. He had done it for her. He knew as much as a part of her had wanted to seek retribution for her daughters death she never would – it just wasn't the way she was – so he had done it for her and now he was sickened by his actions.

He had arrived back at the Sanctuary, not even bothering to see her – he couldn't – not yet. After a detour to her cellar he had holed up in his room trying valiantly to drink himself into oblivion and for the first time ever cursing vampiric genes that prevented him from getting drunk.

Helen had been working on autopilot for a month now. Every time she looked up from her work she expected to see Ashley walking through the door, every time she closed her eyes she saw her beautiful daughter. Her heart constantly ached with loss and she didn't think she would ever feel 'normal' again. She knew the rest of the team were grieving as well but she just couldn't pull herself out of the dark place to help them. Add to that the loss of James. Her friend for over a hundred years, her former lover, the man who had delivered Ashley. She had taken his presence in her life for granted and now he was gone too.

She looked up to see Henry tentatively hovering in the doorway to her office. Helen's mind had a flashback to ten years ago when Henry and Ashley had hovered in much the same way. Ashley had been fourteen and Henry eighteen at the time and they were asking if Henry could teach Ashley how to ride a motorbike. Looking back her response had been almost comical.

"Henry, what can I do for you?" Helen asked tiredly.

"Ah hey Doc, I wasn't sure if you knew but Tesla arrived back here a few days ago."

Helen was surprised. Was she in that much of a dark place that she was unaware of her friends arrival?

"Anyway." Henry continue, "he took two dozen bottles of your best red and has been locked away in his room ever since. You know I could care less about the guy," Helen almost smiled at that because the fact that Henry was even in her office telling her indicated that he did care. "but I know you like him – anyway I just thought you should know."

Helen smiled for the first time in weeks. "Thank you Henry." As he turned to leave Helen made a decision to stop focussing on her own grief and start reconnecting with those around her. "Henry?" she called after him. The young HAP turned around, "How are you…. You know….since…?" She was making an effort but stiff couldn't seem to say the words out loud.

"Taking it one day at a time Doc. I still expect to see her walking into my lab every day and stuff around here reminds me of her all the time but then I think about what she would say if she saw me moping and I just keep going."

"Thanks Henry". Helen realised she could learn from the young man. "I think I need to make a housecall on a certain vampire."

Helen knocked lightly on the door to the room Nikola had claimed as his own whenever he stayed at the Sanctuary. Helen smiled at the thought that her friend thought of her house as his home enough to warrant claiming a room.

When she didn't hear a response she opened the door and poked her head in. What she saw surprised her. Her usually immaculate friend was sitting on the couch in his room in clothes that had obviously been worn for several days, he hadn't shaved and there were at least ten empty bottles of wine littered around the room.

"Nikola?" she asked cautiously.

"Don't Helen. I can't see you. Not yet." He sounded almost broken.

Helen walked into the room and opened the curtains to let some light in. It was time for some tough love otherwise she knew Nikola would stay in here for weeks and spiral down to that place where even she couldn't tolerate his self pitying arrogance – not to mention the damage he would do to her cellar.

He covered his eyes dramatically as she opened the curtains. "God! What are you trying to do? Blind me?"

"I've left you alone long enough Nikola, it's time to re-join the human race." She started to move around the room picking up the empty bottles.

Nikola looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. "And therein lies the problem, I'm not human, something I have proven over and over in the last month."

Helen sat next to her friend and took his hand in hers. "Nikola?"

"Johnny and I managed to do some serious damage to the Cabal. We eventually tracked down Dana Whitcomb….." Helen sat silently not sure she wanted to hear. Part of her wanted to know the woman who had treated her daughter as a science experiment and ultimately taken her life had paid with her own life. The other part of her – the humanitarian side didn't believe in a life for a life. The mother side won out.

"And?"

Nikola looked into her eyes. "She's dead"

"There's more though isn't there?" She asked quietly. Nikola sat there in silence for a while before continuing.

"Johnny was all for his usual MO, a knife to the neck. But I wanted to make her suffer. I wanted her to know a fragment of the suffering she put Ashley through, a fragment of what you were feeling. I drew her death out as long as I could." Nikola paused, unsure if he should continue. "I enjoyed making her suffer Helen." He confessed. "I enjoyed hearing he scream for mercy, begging me to stop." He turned to her with a look of desperation in his eyes. "What kind of animal does that make me? And the worst of it – I would do it to her again in a heartbeat. She took the life of a beautiful young girl, she took your most precious possession I wanted to make her suffer for that."

Helen leaned forward and hugged her friend. "You are not an animal, you wanted revenge for the most vile and despicable behaviour one human could inflict on another –I would say that was a rather human emotion."

Nikola smiled for the first time in over a month. Until this moment he hadn't realised how worried he was that Helen would be disappointed in him, and he behaviour. That thought unsettled him far more than what he had done to Dane Whitcomb, since when did he care what someone thought of him?

The next day he was gone.


	15. Chapter 15

**For GrandEmpress13 - because she leaves such lovely reviews**

Chapter 15

"Ah hey Vlad…..ummmm what are you doing here?" Henry asked as her entered his lab and saw the former vampire sitting on the lounge with a glass of wine in his hand. "Oh yeah, right, can't call you that anymore can I?" Henry smiled at him.

"Oh kick a man when he is down why don't you?" Nikola replied.

"Again….why are you here?" Henry tried again almost feeling sorry for the man.

"Helen kicked me out of her office…. Told me I was depressing and distracting. Distracting I can live with but depressing?"

"Well you have kinda been a pain in the ass to be around since you were de-vamped. Maybe you need to find something constructive to do with your time?" Henry suggested.

Nikola considered Henrys statement for a moment. "What are you working on?" He asked as though he were really interested.

"Ummm just some routine maintenance on the EM shields that the Doc asked for."

Nikola rose as though he could not think of anything more boring. "With all your natural talent and she has you running maintenance checks – she should be ashamed." And with that Nikola left the lab and a stunned Henry in his wake, Henry had the distinct feeling the former vampire genius just paid him a compliment.

Nikola strode into Williams office, not normally a place he would ever consider frequenting but Helen had banned him from her office and Henry wasn't doing anything interesting. Perhaps annoying the protégé might provide some amusement.

"Huggybear" Nikola said as he walked into Wills office.

"Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse. What do you want Tesla?" Will asked annoyed at being interrupted especially by someone he disliked as much as Nikola Tesla, for the life of him he couldn't understand why Magnus allowed him to hang around.

"Just wanted to see how much I could annoy you. Judging by the look on your face all I had to do was walk in here. You are just too easy Dr Expendable, Helen is never going to hand over the reigns of the Sanctuary to someone who can be rattled as easily as you."

Will just stared at the man in front of him wondering how a man became that arrogant. "And yet it was me she chose to be her protégé and it's you she allows to hang around here because she feels sorry for you."

"Ahh Wilhelm, believe you want but the reason Helen wants me here are far more complex than your average sized brain can handle." After having the last word Nikola left the office in search of someone else to annoy.

Down in the kitchen Nikola found Booty and the Beast – one of the oddest friendships he could ever imagine but there was no accounting for taste.

"Hey Fang, Henry tells me you are a bit depressed about losing the ability to suck blood and all that, and I have just the thing to cheer you up."

Nikola flopped down in a kitchen chair and ignored the fur ball currently moving around preparing dinner. "There is nothing you could do to relieve the aching loss of my vampiric essence" Nikola said dramatically.

Kate smiled and turned the laptop towards him. He looked at the website 'Vinrare'. "So?" he questioned.

"Read it". Kate commanded.

As Nikola read through the homepage and began to explore the rare vintage wine website a huge grin began to spread across his face. Once Kate realised she had him hooked she slipped him a piece of paper.

Nikola looked down at the piece of paper with sixteen numbers on it and, if possible, his grin got even broader. Kate had just given him Helen's credit card details.

"You. Did. Not. Get. It. From. Me." Kate left the kitchen while Nikola continued to play on the website adding more and more to his shopping cart. Before she could get to the bosses office Biggie cornered her.

"You gave him Magnus' credit card details." He grunted

"Yeah I did"

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Yeah I should. How do you think I got the number in the first place." Kate laughed as she headed to the bosses office to fill her in on the success of her plan. Clearly Magnus knew Tesla better than any of them and exactly what he needed to get out of his funk.

Five hours later Nikola entered Helens office with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Helen smiled as she saw him.

"I take it you managed to find something to occupy your time today?" She asked as she rose from behind her desk and joined him on the lounge.

He handed her a glass of wine. "It turns out I did." He grinned.

"How much did it cost me?"

"Helen, I'm shocked to think that you could put a price on my happiness."

"Nikola! How much?" She asked again.

Nikola leaned forward and stroked the lapel of her jacket. "Well that depends…"

"On what?" She asked warily as she slapped his hand away.

"How much do you love me?" He asked boldly.

"How much Nikola?" Knowing he wouldn't get an answer he let her off the hook – this time.

"Relax Helen, I bought the wine. Although I am going to need somewhere to store it – I might have gone a little bit overboard."

"How much is 'a bit overboard'?"

Nikola looked sheepish. "tohunrdnsevn cases." He mumbled

"I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that?"

Nikola raised his head and faced her defiantly. "Two hundred and seven cases."

Helen sat there in shock, That was nearly two and half thousand bottles of wine. Eventually she regained her composure. "Well I bloody hope you plan on sticking around to drink it."

Nikola smiled widely – maybe being human again might have its benefits.


	16. Chapter 16

**You guys say the nicest things! Here is some Teslen love especially for Emmy and SamanthaMcKay**

Chapter 16

He was back! He couldn't stop extending and retracting his nails – damn it felt good. At this moment in time his life was good. Helen had re-vamped him and, in doing so showed him just how much she really cared. Just when he was beginning to give up hope of her ever realising how she felt about him she refused to let him die.

Oh he knew she would deny it, just as he knew he wouldn't stop outrageously flirting with her. Since returning from the whole disaster with Afina their relationship had changed in small subtle ways, little touches here and there, a look shared between the two of them, and for once Nikola didn't have the urge to run. He was actually forming an emotional attachment to her sanctuary and, as much as he hated to admit it, 'the children'. Yes at this moment in time life was good for Nikola Tesla.

Helen was confused. It was not an emotion she felt often and therefore was not one she was at all comfortable with. Back in that cave when faced with actually losing Nikola from her life permanently she had felt terrified, another emotion she rarely felt. It wasn't just the fact that Nikola was her last connection to The Five, she was terrified of losing HIM. Which begged the question when did he become so important to her life?

Certainly he had been popping in and out of her life constantly for the last couple of years, usually bringing havoc and chaos with him, but also being incredibly sweet and helpful at times. He had commandeered his own room in her house that everyone referred to as 'Tesla's room', so he was accepted by everyone in her home as a permanent, if somwhat itinerant, member of the 'family', even if they didn't always like him being there.

But the thing that caused her the most confusion was his behaviour. He constantly flirted with her which she had come to believe was just his default setting when it came to he,r but every now and again there would be an undercurrent of seriousness she couldn't ignore, a look or a gesture of genuine affection that she couldn't just brush off.

The most perplexing thing was how much time she had wasted thinking about it. She mentally shook herself and decided to get on with some work – actually accomplishing something instead of second guessing the actions of the most annoying man on the face of the earth.

Nikola stood in the doorway of her office, casually leaning against the frame watching the play of emotions across her face. He still held firm to the belief that they would eventually be together but at some point in the last couple of years his attitude to their relationship had changed. In the past all he had focussed on was the fact that he wanted her like she was some prize to be won but now –after coming back into her life and seeing up close the incredible woman she had become, he realised that he wanted more than tha,t he wanted them to come together as equals – he needed her to want him as much as he wanted her, and to get that he was prepared to wait – the were immortal after all.

Nikola grinned at the thought of how explosive and tempestuous their relationship would be. Helen chose that moment to look up from her work and see him in her doorway.

"I know that smile,"she said warily. "What are you up to Nikola?"

Nikola walked into her office. "Helen, you wound me. Can't I just be smiling because seeing you makes me happy?"

Helen considered this for a moment. "No. Spill it Nikola."

"If you must know, was thinking about how explosive our relationship will be when you finally give in to your obvious desire for me."

Helen leaned forward and whispered suggestively in his ear. "Nikola I promise when I give in to my desires the only explosions will involve gunshots."

Nikola smiled. "Helen you really must curb this desire you have to constantly shoot me. The children might start to think mummy and daddy are having issues."

Helen laughed. "I'm sure they will cope – you drive them even more crazy than you drive me! Seriously though, how are you feeling since…..you know."

"Since you couldn't bear the thought of losing me and moved heaven and earth to re-vamp me?"

"A decision I am regretting more by the minute." She smiled to soften the harshness of her words.

"Ahhh Helen we both know that eventually you will give in to your desire for me and then I can move heaven and earth for you." He whispered seductively.

Helen burst out laughing. "Seriously Nikola, if you truly expect me to ever go to bed with you, you need to work on your material."

Nikola looked at her hopefully and then realised he needed to play it cool. "Ah so you do think about going to bed with me?"

Helen merely shook her head laughing. Now was certainly not the time to let Nikola know exactly how often she though about sleeping with him, his ego did not need any more stroking. Besides at the moment the thrill of the chase was proving to be far more entertaining than she ever would have imagined.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Helen and Henry stood in Henry's lab going through the information Nikola had downloaded onto the tablet. Helens initial dismay at Nikolas betrayal was lessening as she absorbed the quantity information Nikola had given them.

"Doc, this is incredible. He has given us everything SCIU has currently, and everything they have planned for the next five years." Henry continued to go through the files in awe. "Maybe he was on the level about fighting from within?" Henry asked hopefully. Although Tesla drove him nuts and he was arrogant there was no doubt the man was a genius and Henry couldn't help but admire him. There were even times Henry had thought of him as almost fatherly.

"I know it looks that way Henry, but I have known Nikola Tesla for over a hundred years and he has never done anything that hasn't directly benefited himself."

"Ahh doc he may have been like that before but in the last year or so – since he was de-vamped – he has chilled in a big way. He didn't have to come and rescue me from that fanged centipus."

Helen though about what Henry had said and he was right, Nikola certainly wasn't as hell bent on world domination as he had been in the past. In fact, she had come to the conclusion that he quite liked being the only sanguine vampius in the world.

"It doesn't change the fact that he is working for the enemy." Helen said sadly. She knew for both their reputations, and even their safety, they could not have any contact which saddened her far more than she thought it would.

It was the forced lack of contact that made his arrival on her doorstep the night they discovered the spiderbot roaming the house that had her so surprised. Even though he was there because he had been creating havoc again she couldn't deny how much she had missed him or how much help he had been fixing the problem. In fact as Helen thought about the situation, he came to their aid the minute the nanite escaped and even took a measure of responsibility for the problem. Once they were back in their own bodies Helen realised she had really enjoyed working closely with him – they had always been a good team, even in their Oxford days.

It was when they were sitting in her office sipping wine that Nikola forced her to confront her feelings. He asked who she would choose between him and Will – her mind immediately screamed Nikola. Not that she would let him know that, it would make him insufferable around poor Will. So she went with an ambiguous answer. She should have known he wouldn't be satisfied.

"Helen, that is not an answer and we both know it." Nikola said quietly as he moved closer to her.

"Well it is all the answer you are going to get while you work at SCIU". Helen responded equally as quietly.

"So if I were to leave SCIU…..?"

They had moved so close that their bodies were almost touching. "I don't know what you want me to say Nikola. One minute you are flirting with me and the next you are trying to undermine everything I am trying to accomplish and then you go and do something incredibly sweet while at the same time insulting everyone I work with." Helen said exasperated. "I just never know where I stand with you." She looked into his eyes almost begging him to be honest with her.

"Ahh Helen, even you have to admit the children can be frustrating to be around, but they obviously respect you and care about you so for that I am grateful to them, although I will admit I do have a soft spot for young Heinrich." Nikola smiled indulgently. "And I know it seems like I only ever bring trouble when I see you, but it's not intentional and you have to admit we have had some incredible adventures together."

"Nikola?" Helen was begging him to get to the heart of what he wanted to say.

"Fine!" He grasped her hands in his, their bodies still close. "You have to know how I feel about you. How I have always felt about you. But lately I have realised what I felt in the past was … shallow ….. compared to what I feel now. I always desired you because it would make me happy but now I desire you because I want to make _you_ happy."

Helen couldn't deny the sincerity of his words and they touched her heart, it wasn't quite a declaration of love but it was damn close.

"Ohhh Nikola." She reached up and cupped his face. "I had no idea you could be so eloquent."

Nikola pulled back. "Really? I just declare my deepest feelings in the most honest way I know how and the best response you can come up with is surprise at my eloquence!"

"Nikola!"

Nikola stood. "You know what Helen, I don't think I can keep doing this. You know how I feel, how I have always felt and you constantly throw it back at me – well enough is enough! When you can honestly let me know how you feel give me a call, otherwise I guess we won't be seeing each other again!" Nikola walked out and left a stunned Helen sitting there wondering how that conversation went so spectacularly wrong.

How did she feel about Nikola? She reached up and felt the tear running down her cheek and had her answer. She quickly pulled out her phone and dialled the familiar number not really surprised when she was transferred to voicemail.

"Damn you Nikola Tesla! Is walking away the minute any emotions get too tough for you to deal with the only thing you know how to do? I have been watching you walk in and out of my life for a hundred and thirty years! Well guess what? I have had enough too. Do you think you are the only one who can dish out ultimatums? Well listen up! I love you, you insane man – I love that you challenge me, I love that you can make me laugh, I even the love the chaos you create every time you come here. What I don't love is you constantly walking away – when you decide to leave SCIU and think you can come to me without leaving we can…" The voicemail cut out before she had a chance to finish what she was saying but she hung up knowing she got her message across.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Nikola and SCIU had parted ways and the first place he wanted to go was the Sanctuary. He knew Helen would never have him in her home while he worked there, he just hoped that the fact that he had been fired and not left willingly would not make her kick him out.

He couldn't deny he had enjoyed the lifestyle he had while working for the government and he had created some amazing inventions while there. That is what hurt the most, not that he no longer had a job, but the fact that some of his most brilliant work had been left for those government knuckleheads to claim as their own.

Yes, he definitely needed to get to the Sanctuary and start working his way through Helen's cellar. He still had some of the wine he had bought the previous year stashed down there and he intended to finish it. What he didn't realise, as he sat in her office drinking, was she was putting into place the final stages of the master plan she had been working on for 113 years.

::::::::::::::

Nikola looked at the email he had just received on his phone. It was from her. He had just witnessed her being blown to smithereens and now he was getting some kind of timed email from her. He wanted to ignore it – he wanted…...to turn back the clock and not watch her home blow up with her inside. But he couldn't. He could never deny her anything, even reading her last email.

Instead of telling him how much she loved him and how happy she was he was no longer with SCIU all it contained was directions. Directions to something he could care less about right now.

Nikola became aware of his surroundings again when he heard a hacking cough that may also have contained a sob from nearby.

"Henry? Are you okay? He asked the young HAP who escaped the blast with him. Nikola looked more closely and could see tears in the you mans eyes.

"She…..she…." Henry didn't know what to say. Helen had been like a mother to him and now she was gone.

"I know." Nikola said quietly and pulled the man into a comforting hug. "Come on, it appears she has one last request of us."

They moved silently to where the black van was parked and followed the directions in Helen's email to a dilapidated looking warehouse. As they approached one of the doors began sliding open as if it knew of their arrival. Henry and Nikola just looked at each other and shrugged and drove in. Once inside the doors closed behind them. After everything that had happened that evening neither cared about whether they were in any kind of danger.

They began to feel the floor below the van descend. Once the floor completed its journey, they were confronted with the most amazing sight. A pristine, futuristic parking garage with various makes and models of cars and vans, they drove forward, parking the van and getting out, still not sure where the hell they were.

"So, I'm pretty sure this isn't heaven." Said Henry looking around the white garage. "So what the hell is this place?"

"Not sure Heinrich, but I have a feeling we are about to find out." Nikola indicated his head to a Praxian looking transport pod.

Both men stepped in and were immediately whisked away, the pod going so fast they didn't have a chance to see any of the landscape they travelled past.

Before they even had a chance to speak again the pod stopped and opened, and there, waiting for them was the one woman both men had never expected to see again.

"Welcome to the new Sanctuary." Helen greeted them with a huge smile on her face. She was still dressed in her black letaher she had been wearing earlier which was now ripped and torn and her face was scratched and bleeding but Nikola didn't think he had ever seen a more beautiful sight.

Henry rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Helen "Ah Doc it is so good to see you! We thought you were….."

Helen returned the hug knowing what she had put them through in the last couple of hours. "Dead. I know Henry. I wasn't sure if I would make it, but it was thanks to your vest that I did. I owe you my life Henry."

Henry moved back, "Anytime Doc, anytime. So what is this place?"

"I think we are all too exhausted for tours and explanations tonight, tomorrow I promise." She said kindly. "For now, if you would like to see your quarters I suggest you type your name into the keypad in the transport. We'll meet at nine tomorrow morning in my office – for that, just press one"

Henry left and still Nikola had not spoken a word – he just stood there staring at her.

"Niko?" she asked hesitantly.

Nikola could not respond. He was so sure he had lost her and to see her standing here like nothing had happened made him furious. She moved closer to him, he wanted to start shouting at her for putting him through that, for kissing him and then making him leave her there to die. Instead he gave in to the overwhelming happiness at seeing her alive, he grabbed her and pulled he as close to him as he could, making sure every inch of his body was pressed against every inch of hers and then he lowered his lips and kissed her hungrily, like a starving man devouring his last meal.

Helen was shocked at first but began to respond, her hands roaming over Nikolas back and into his hair. She had no idea how long they stood there but eventually their need for air overcame their need for each other. They stood there breathless staring at each other, neither sure what to say in response to the kiss they just shared.

"You kissed me." Helen said breathlessly

"You kissed me first." Nikola responded.

Helen smiled. "I did."

"Why?"

"Ah Nikola do you really need to ask?"

"Apparently with you, yes I do."

Helen cupped his cheek in her hand tenderly and moved her lips in to touch his. It was a far cry from the passion filled kiss of a few minutes ago, it was tender and sweet and designed to show Nikola exactly how she felt about him. When she eventually pulled away she whispered against his ear, "I love you."

Nikola stepped back from her. "Do you Helen? Because a couple of hours ago you were happy to kiss me goodbye and then make me watch you blow yourself up." He said angrily.

"Nikola!" Helen was shocked. She had spent 113 years on this plan, she could finally relax, be honest and nurture their relationship and he was mad at her. She too took a step back and felt her anger rise. "And what would you have had me do Nikola? Let you stand there beside me so we could both die because even you, with your vampire genes, could not have survived that blast?"

Nikola could tell she was angry by her breathing. "Yes dammit!" He yelled at her. His own breathing rapid. He watched her shocked reaction, she really had no concept of how deep his feelings were for her. He moved closer once again and got his temper and his breathing under control before he spoke again. "Yes, because my life is pointless without you."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Helen had been fully prepared to go to bed with Nikola the day he arrived at the new Sanctuary, to her surprise however, he informed her that he planned to court her. Her initial reaction had been to think what a sweet gesture that was, two weeks later she amended that opinion considerably.

"I have come to whisk you away for lunch in the garden of Magtopia". Nikola announced dramatically as he entered her office.

Helen tried not to groan out load. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call it that?"

"Well until you can give us something better than 'New Sanctuary'…."

Helen decided not to even try to talk him out of calling it that. He had come up with it at one of the staff meetings and it had unfortunately stuck. "Nikola I can't have lunch with you every day – I have work that I have to get done!"

Nikola walked up and lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, an action he had discovered made her melt. "And what would you rather do, have lunch with me, or work?"

Helen was melting at his touch. "You know I would rather have lunch with you, but it's never just lunch we always end up making out like a pair of teenagers for at least an hour so I end up coming back to my office late and frustrated!"

"Why Helen, I didn't realising my kissing had such an effect on you." Nikola smirked.

"Well it does!" Helen shouted, exasperated and frustrated. It was time to take hold of this relationship. "Nikola, you don't need to court me, I am 273 years old I think I know what I want by now."

"And what would that be?"

"You. In my bed. Right . Now."

Nikola cocked his head to the side and pretended to consider her request. "Okay"

Helen grinned widely and pressed the button on the intercom on her desk without taking her eyes off Nikola. "Will, I seem to be coming down with something, I think I am going to go to my room for a while." She caught the glint in Nikolas eye. "Probably one of those 48 hour bugs, don't be surprised if you don't see me tomorrow. Oh, and only call me if it is a real emergency."

Nikola grabbed her hand and practically dragged her to the waiting transport pod. He had her pressed up against the wall and kissing her before she even had a chance to punch in the code for her room. Finally breaking for air she mumbled, "Nikola…room…..code"

Through a lust filled haze Nikola registered what she was saying.

"What is it?"

"250882"

Nikola punch in the numbers and then realised what they were. "The day we met at Oxford?"

"Seemed appropriate." She smiled. "No-one knows the code to my room or even where it is." She stroked a finger down his and began to unbutton his vest. "Except you and me".

"I have always said you have a brilliant mind. It's one of the things I find so hot about you."

Nikola settled into life in the Sanctuary surprisingly well. From his perspective anyway. Henry and Will thought he was possibly even more arrogant than he had been in the past. Henry could, at least admire the mans genius and they did seem to collaborate well on projects together. Will however, found his constant presence irritating, a fact that he didn't bother to hide.

"Good morning everyone. Helen announced as she and Nikola walked into her office together for the morning staff meeting. She was surprised no-one had picked up on her change in relationship with Nikola, although Nikola still flirted outrageously with her and she still rebuffed him during working hours, her staff were obviously missing the heated looks that now always accompanied these exchanges.

Helen headed straight to Biggie and kissed his cheek. "It is good to have you back old friend". It was his first day back on the job after a month long recuperation from his attack by Caleb and his thugs. Helen took her seat at the head of the coffee table. "Henry what have you been working on?"

"Well Vlad and I have been working on some other applications for the magic moonstone you bought back from Bolivia and we think we may have come up with something. We think we can use it to supercharge our stunners for those hard to drop abnormals, trouble is we have to slice off a small amount of the rock in order to test it. That's where we seem to have a difference of opinion." Henry said looking over at Nikola pointedly.

"As I explained to young Wolfgang here, we haven't fully tested the properties of the rock – I don't think we should start hacking it to pieces until we know what effect that might have!" Nikola argued.

"Dude! Since when have you been Mr Play It Safe? Last week you bought down the power to all the labs with one of your experiments!"

Helen turned to Nikola. "Wait, that was you? You told me it was one of the maintenance crew." Nikola had the good grace to at least look sheepish.

"Yes. Fine. It was me okay but…" Will interrupted before he had a chance to continue.

"Here we go again. For once will you take responsibility for something. You come in here and set up home uninvited, you commandeer a lab and then you proceed to create havoc and blame someone else." Will turned to Magnus. "What is he going to have to do before you tell him to get out!"

"Will! That is quite enough thank you!" It may not have been obvious to everyone else in the room but Nikola was finely attuned to Helen's emotions and he could tell she was furious. "Nikola is, and always will be, welcome in my home and I will thank you to remember that."

Not exactly a declaration of undying love in front of the children, but enough to make Nikola smirk at Will's discomfort.

"If there is nothing else I suggest we all get back to work." Helen dismissed them and they couldn't get out of there fast enough. Nikola however, hung back.

"I'm sorry I lied about the maintenance worker."

"What I don't understand is why? I thought we had moved beyond all that nonsense, I thought we were trying to be honest with each other about everything?"

"I know, I know" Nikola began to pace around her office. "I wanted to surprise you."

Helen thought of all the times Nikola had tried to surprise her over the years and barely kept from groaning, most of his 'surprises' had ended up with her either cleaning up the mess or trying to shoot him. "What surprise Nikola?" she asked wearily.

"Now Helen don't be like that, I am a genius remember, you just seem to attach yourself to my …less than spectacular endeavours. This time however, I was trying to work out a way to make Magtopia electrically self sufficient."

"I attach myself? Helen asked incredulously. "More like you drag me into them!"

"Ah lovemuffin. It's only because I love having you near me". Nikola laughed as he came close and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Don't ever call me that!"

"Sweetcheeks?"

"No".

"Rose petal?"

"No" she tried to supress a laugh.

"Angel eyes?"

"NO!"

"Baby cakes?"

"God no! Nikola stop." She couldn't hold her laughter in any longer. "Where on earth did you come up with those ridiculous names".

"Ahhh that would be telling. So I take it I'm not allowed to call you by any pet names?" He leaned in close and whispered another name into her ear.

"Nikola!"

"Now Helen after all the things we've done to each other in the last month you can't possibly be shocked that I would want to call you that?"

Helen smiled and kissed him. "You can call me that as much as you like tonight. Now get out I have work to do." She leaned in and kissed him again for good measure.

As they both turned towards the door they saw Will standing there with a stunned look on his face. Recovering before either Helen or Nikola, he said "Well I guess now I understand why you won't throw him out." And with that he turned and left.


	20. Chapter 20

**This is for Tasha cos she nags so nicely. Off camping in the pouring rain with four kids so not sure how often the updates will be in the next week.**

Chapter 20

For two months Will kept the knowledge of Tesla and Magnus' relationship to himself and they thankfully, never referred to it in front of him – something he was eternally grateful for because quite frankly the thought of them together was extremely disturbing. It was easier to act like he had never seen them kissing in Magnus's office and never heard Tesla calling her all manner of sickening nicknames but he knew eventually the others would find out, they couldn't keep hiding it forever. 

"Helen, I think we should tell the children about us." Nikola said nibbling on her ear after making love.

"Why on earth would we want to do that?" Helen asked pulling away from him just enough to be able to look into his eyes.

"Oh I don't know – perhaps I would like to kiss you during the day, or just wrap my arms around you or dare I say it, maybe even tell you I love you." Nikola said defensively. "I am sick of being kept as your dirty little secret."

Helen was shocked by his outburst. "Is that how you think I see us?" Helen sat up in bed clutching the sheets to her naked body and reaching for her nightgown.

"How should I see us Helen? You sneak me into your bedroom every night, and yet, during the day you treat me as though I mean no more to you than any other employee".

"Nikola! I love you, I don't think of us as a 'dirty little secret' and frankly I am insulted that you would say that to me. I love you more than anything, but at the moment I am seriously wondering why."

"Then why not let the kiddies know that mummy and daddy are screwing each others brains out every night?"

"Don't be so crass." Helen said as she got out of the bed and stalked into the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind her.

She sat on the edge of the large tub, furious at Nikola for the way he had spoken and even more furious at herself. Why didn't she want her staff to know that she was in love with Nikola, surely she should want to shout it from the rooftops? Tears slipped down her face. She moved to the vanity and started looking through the drawers for a tissue, she didn't find any tissues but she did come across something she hadn't used for several months. In fact, it was a packet of 'somethings' she hadn't used since she and Nikola started sleeping together.

Nikola chose that exact moment to enter the bathroom to apologise and as she looked up at him he couldn't miss the sheer terror in her eyes. He rushed to her side looking for signs of injury or blood.

"Helen! What's wrong?"

Helen sat back on the edge of the tub and kept staring at Nikola unsure whether to tell him now or wait until she was sure. Judging by the look on his face though, a simple 'I'm fine' was not going to be believed. And then it hit her. She knew why she didn't want to tell her staff about them – she was afraid of him leaving – and now faced with this, something she knew he certainly wouldn't want, she could imagine Nikola Tesla running as far and as fast as he could.

Helen took a deep breath. "I'm late."

Nikola looked perplexed. "Late for what? It's 2am".

"LATE – late." She let her expressive eyes fill in the gaps for him.

Nikola shook his head still not understanding what the hell she was going on about.

Helen sighed. "I haven't had a period in over three months."

"Oh." He said absently still not really understanding the implications of what she was saying. Helen sat there waiting for him to put the pieces together. "Oh. Oh. Ewwww"

"Just the reaction every woman hopes for when she tells her lover she thinks she could be pregnant."

"Pregnant!"

"Well, what the hell did you think I meant?"

"I thought it was some kind of couple bonding information or something. Pregnant…as in a baby?"

"That is what it usually means."

Nikola looked horrified for a moment and then smiled. "You can't possibly be pregnant, you are 273 years old." He said visibly relieved.

Helen sat there stunned that he could possibly be that insensitive and then she remembered who she was speaking to – of course he could, insensitive was his default position.

"I will overlook the disparaging comment you just made about my age and remind you that you can't exactly judge my fertile years in comparison to other women, my physiology is completely unique." She paused letting this information sink in before saying quietly. "Nikola in the past three months we have had an awful lot of sex – it's caught up with us."

Nikola began to pace the confined area of the bathroom. "I take it you aren't taking …." He waved his hand.

"Obviously not."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure that I'm not on the Pill? Yes I'm sure. Sure about being pregnant? No."

Nikola breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, there you go, we are probably worrying over nothing."

Helen reached out to grab his hand and stop him pacing. She looked into his eyes. "Nikola, it's not having a baby that worries me, it's you _running_ if I'm having a baby that scares the hell out of me."


	21. Chapter 21

**I'm Back! Camping was great and as promised to Tasha a new chapter (which I am pretty sure she is going to throw cyber rotten fruit at me when she reads). I had planned for this to be a false alarm but I am getting the impression that some people want a little vampire baby? Let me know which way you would rather see because I have a plan for either. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed and alerted - it really does make me smile.**

Chapter 21

Helen left Nikola pacing in the bathroom and crawled into bed, never having felt so tired in her life. About five minutes later Nikola emerged from the bathroom and stood before her.

"How soon can we find out for sure?" He asked as if it was the worst possible thing in the world to find out.

Helen yawned. "I'll do a blood test in the morning."

"You can't do it now?" He questioned wanting to know as soon as possible if his world was about to be totally turned upside down.

"Yes, I could but at the moment I am so tired I can barely keep my eyes open and unlike you, I actually need to sleep in order to function tomorrow morning. Just come to bed – a few hours isn't going to make any difference."

Nikola looked at her curled up in the bed and realised he would only keep her awake with his stressing. "I think I might take a walk." Helen looked immediately alarmed. Nikola leant over and kissed her. "Don't worry, I won't be far away and I will be here with you when we find out one way or another promise." Helen didn't fail to notice that he promised to be there to find out – he didn't promise to be there if she were pregnant. She yawned again and decided there was no point in worrying over something that wasn't even confirmed yet. As Nikola left the room she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Nikola wandered aimlessly around the complex for nearly two hours before he ended up outside Henrys lab. He was surprised to see the light on at 5.30 in the morning but quickly realised this could be just the person he needed to speak to.

As he wandered in he saw Henry yawning in front of a computer screen.

"O'Henry" he said by way of announcing himself.

Henry jumped, startled to hear another voice at this time of the morning.

"Dude, you scared the crap outta me."

"Sorry." Nikola said without an ounce of remorse, as he wandered in and sat down on the lounge under the window and placed his feet on the coffee table.

"What the hell are you doing wandering around at this time of the morning?"

"Vampire – remember? I could ask you a similar question."

"Ahh well Erica had a craving for apple pie and ice cream, which of course we didn't have, so I had to make a trip out to get some and by the time I got back she was fast asleep and I was wide awake so I thought I would get some work done."

Nikola realised this was the perfect opening. "Does that happen often? The craving thing?" He couldn't imagine Helen craving apple pie and ice cream and he certainly couldn't imagine willingly going to get it for her if she did.

"More often than I like," Henry smiled clearly not overly concerned. "But I figure she is the one who has to be pregnant for nearly two years – it's a small price to pay."

Nikola took a deep breath and asked the question he really wanted to know the answer to. "So how did you feel when you first heard the Hapling was on its way?"

"Dude, I am not afraid to tell you she totally blindsided me – arrived on the doorstep one morning and told me I was going to be a dad – never been so terrified in my entire life."

"So you weren't immediately excited?"

"Hell no! Don't tell Erica this but my first reaction was to bury my head in the sand and pretend it wasn't happening."

"So what made you change your mind? I mean, you are obviously happy about it now."

"Yeah I can't wait. As for what changed my mind, Erica did. Seeing her so beautiful and happy and knowing I played a part in that – how could I not be happy?"

Nikola thought back to the times when Helen seemed to be her happiest and realised it was when she was pregnant and when he saw her with Ashley. James had once asked him if he could think of anyone who would be a more wonderful mother and his answer hadn't changed. However, it was not Helen's mothering abilities that had him terrified, it was his fathering abilities.

"But aren't you worried about what kind of father you'll be – I mean aren't you worried about screwing up and scarring the kid for life?"

"Well I wasn't until now! Dude, what's with all the questions? Have you knocked up some poor girl?"

Nikola couldn't look Henry in the eye and was quiet for a long time.

"You have, haven't you? Cos I wasn't actually being serious." Henry said clearly stunned.

Nikola started moving around the lab mindlessly tinkering with Henry's work. "Possibly. Maybe. Kinda"

"Oh wow. Who? Anyone I know?" Asked Henry clearly flabbergasted.

"I'm not really at liberty to say – I don't think she wants anyone to know about us." Nikola said sadly.

Helen reached the doorway just in time to hear the end of the conversation and realised what a huge leap Nikola had taken in confiding in Henry. For a man who had always prided himself on never needing anyone Nikola had made massive leaps in the last few years, and even though she was still worried he would take off she knew she could and should give him this.

"She is fine letting people know." Helen said as she walked in and slid her arm around Nikolas waist. "We won't know for sure until I run a test but there is a chance your baby may have a playmate." Helen smiled at Henry.

Henry was stunned to say the least. His first reaction was certainly not what either Helen or Nikola had been expecting. "Ewwwww that's like knowing your parents did it!"

"Henry!" Helen exclaimed shocked.

"I'm sorry Doc but you know I think of you as a mother, and Vlad here, well over the years, you know, I've come to almost like him on occasions."

"Thanks Wolfgang, I feel the same about you" Nikola said sarcastically.

Helen smiled, knowing both men had a grudging respect for each other and had even formed a sort of friendship over the last few years. She reached down and took Nikola's hand in hers. "Are you ready?"

"No." Was his immediate response. Helen squeezed his hand trying to give him as much moral support as she could. She was terrified about the results as well but for a whole different set of reasons to Nikola. After Ashley the thought of ever having another child was not something she contemplated, she didn't think she would be able to love another child and lose it, not to mention how hard it was to raise a child on her own and she wasn't naive enough to be sure of Nikola's presence, after all he had never made his dislike of children a secret and had certainly never had any desire to have any of his own.

"Henry, I'd appreciate it if you kept this to yourself until we know for sure, no sense in worrying anyone unnecessarily."

"Ah sure Doc, whatever you say."

Helen and Nikola left hand in hand to go and find out their future, terrified for different reasons but at least they were together – for now.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Helen sat at the desk in her lab while Nikola paced the room, picking up and fiddling with anything he could distract himself with. It was beginning to grate on Helen's nerves but she knew he was terrified of the pregnancy test results and, for that reason, was holding her temper in check.

The computer made a pinging noise to alert her that the results were in, she looked down, her eyes immediately drawn to the one result she was after. Nikola rushed up behind her when he heard the computer and stared at the screen over her shoulder.

It was about this time Nikola wished he knew a little bit about biology, because none of this information said 'buddy, you are off the hook – it was just some cosmic joke on you to teach you to be more careful', no all he saw was a whole lot of letters and numbers that told him nothing.

"So?" He asked impatiently.

Helen turned to him. "Have you given any thought to your reaction to the results one way or the other?"

"Well, I know I will probably whoop with joy and do a dance of glee if they are negative." He told her seriously.

"Any thought to your reaction if they aren't?"

"Helen I am not going to lie to you – the thought of you being pregnant fills me with a terror like I have never felt in my long and distinguished life, this is not something I have ever wanted and I can't see that changing regardless of what the results say."

"Right. Okay then." Helen choked, hoping that during his walk and his talk with Henry he might have come to grips with the situation a bit more.

"Well?" He demanded impatiently.

"You aren't going to be doing any song and dance routines any time soon." She looked at him wanting to gauge his reaction. Nikola visibly paled.

"Okay then." He had been so sure it would be negative, so sure this would all be some kind of nightmare he would wake from any minute. "So what now? I assume you know…" he waved an arm towards her stomach, "is not an option?"

Helens temper was dangerously close to the surface. "Killing an innocent child because you didn't plan it and are too terrified to face up to reality? No definitely NOT and option!" Helen had tried to be patient with him but he wasn't the only one who had been taken by surprise.

"You know what Nikola, I am pregnant, yes we didn't plan it and yes it is scary but guess what – you are not the only one terrified by this. I have already lost one child and I don't think I would survive losing another one. I have already raised a child by myself and I know how hard it is. So listen up – think long and hard about this because if you walk away from us now you won't be welcomed back – ever!" To Helens utter dismay tears began to form in her eyes and she would be damned if she would let Nikola see how upset she was feeling. "I need to be alone for a while and I think you need to do some serious thinking."

Nikola stood in stunned silence in Helens lab for a while after she left, only snapping out of his trance when he heard someone talking.

"I take it by the nauseous, stunned look on your face that we are going to hear the snapping of tiny fangs in a few months?" Henry said as he walked into the lab. He had seen Magnus wandering the grounds, something she never did so he assumed the test results had been positive and also assumed Nikola had somehow managed to put his foot in it.

"Yeah, apparently so."

"I take it 'congratulations' would be inappropriate?"

"Commiserations would be more like it." Nikola said morosely.

"Dude" Henry asked warily, "What is it about a baby that has you so worked up, I mean I assume you love the Doc?"

"Yes I love Helen!" Nikola said emphatically, there was never any doubt about that. "I just don't think I can love a child. I don't like children, they are noisy and messy and unpredictable, all things I abhor."

Henry looked Nikola in the eye. "Nikola, you need to man up and grow a pair. For once this isn't about you. I imagine the Doc is just as scared as you. Not only has she got a person growing inside her – a baby I might add she didn't plan any more than you did, she has this whole hormonal thing happening and to top it off she is probably wondering if you are about to leave her high and dry, literally holding the baby."

Nikola listened to Henry's outburst and realised the young man was right – it wasn't all about him. Nikola smiled and clapped him on the back. "If it's a boy ….. I might consider Henry as a middle name."

"Somehow, I don't think the Doc is going to let you have any say in the name." Henry laughed.

Nikolas face became serious. "In that case I will be proud if he grows up like you." He said so quietly that Henry almost didn't hear him.

"Dude I know your scared but with the Doc by your side you are going to be a good father, besides think about what a perfectionist she is, she will have you whipped into father material in no time."

Nikola smiled quite sure Helen will have no problems telling him when she wasn't happy with his parenting, after all she had no problem letting him know now when she was pissed with him, he couldn't imagine that habit changing anytime soon.

Nikola left the lab in search of Helen. He was by no means happy with his impending fatherhood but he needed to let her know that even though he was terrified he was here for her and he wouldn't be going anywhere.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**To the lovely people who let me know you are enjoying this story - thank you so very much it really inspires me to keep writing this (I had no intention of it going on for this long) and for those of you who need more Teslen love checkout the three FF4K stories by Emmy1512, Chartusian and LoveActuallyFan - not only wonderful pieces of writing but if you leave a signed review you are helping a really worthy cause.**

Nikola found Helen sitting by the waterfall watching as the water splashed into the deep pool at the bottom. She sensed his approach but didn't turn until she felt him place a hand on her shoulder.

"I think we need to talk." Nikola stated quietly.

Helen couldn't help but lean into his arm as he walked around and sat next to her on the bench facing the waterfall. He took her hand in his.

"I know you think I am selfish and arrogant and I don't deny either of those claims – I am. I am also sarcastic, self-involved and probably a hundred other not very flattering traits and yet for some unknown reason you love me anyway. And I love you more than I can ever express, I am terrified about what this baby will mean to us but I am not going anywhere – I am here for the long haul and let's face it when it comes to us, you are going to be stuck with me for a very, very long time."

Helen rested her head on Nikolas shoulder. "Why did you never want children?"

Nikola thought about his response. "There are a lot of reasons really. Aside from not wanting to pass on my less than stellar personality traits that we have already discussed, there is also the fact that I like a neat and ordered life – not exactly conducive to children. Not to mention the fact that I am terrified of doing something that will cause a child irreparable mental damage."

"Oh Nikola, parenting is constantly flying by the seat of your pants, adapting to whatever the situation needs at the time and hoping for the best – there are no guarantees. And as for passing on your character traits what about your intelligence, your capacity to love, your humour not to mention the hundred other reasons I love you."

Nikola leaned over and kissed Helen's forehead. "Like I said, I'm going to be here for you but I can't see me getting all excited about this and for god's sake do not ask me to help decorate nurseries and indulge in baby talk!"

Helen chuckled at the mere thought of Nikola doing either of those things. "I promise. There is something I would like you to do though."

"What?" He asked warily.

"Come with me." Helen stood, never relinquishing his hand.

Fifteen minutes later Helen was lying on a bed in her lab running a transducer over her still flat stomach, while Nikola sat at the head of the bed where he could see the screen. With her free hand Helen pointed to a peanut shape on the screen. "That, Nikola Tesla, is your baby." She said proudly.

Nikola couldn't pull his eyes from the screen. "Well, it doesn't look at all scary like this, it's just a peanut." He said.

Helen laughed. "No, this is definitely the easy part, that peanut is going to become a teenager one day and then we will really have our work cut out for us." Helen moved the transducer around and clicked on a couple of buttons. "Well it looks like the peanut will make its appearance in the first week of October."

Nikola shuddered at the thought of a teenager and mentally did the calculations, Helen must be at least three and a half months pregnant which meant in all likelihood the baby was conceived on their first night together. "So when are we going to tell the other children?"

Helen was not looking forward to telling her staff but she knew putting it off was not going to make it any easier. "No time like the present I guess."

An hour later the staff were congregated in her office when she and Nikola walked in holding hands. There were a few visably shocked faces but no-one said anything as Helen took her seat at the head of the coffee table and Nikola took a seat to the left of her.

"Sorry to have called you away from whatever you were doing but I wanted to let you all know as soon as possible that effective immediately I will no longer be going on missions."

"Ooookay" said Kate. "Are we allowed to know why?"

"Unfortunately, however safe we plan our missions to be they have a tendancy to become dangerous, and as I am currently pregnant, I don't want to put myself or the baby in danger if I can avoid it."

Everyone sat there in shock for a few minutes. Biggie was the first to recover when he turned to Nikola. "Your baby is going to be trouble." He turned to Helen and smiled. "Let's hope it has more Magnus than Tesla."

"I couldn't agree with you more." Nikola grinned. Biggie reached out and shook his hand.

"It will be nice to have a baby around again." He grunted.

"Congratulations Doc, Tesla." Henry smiled at the two of them, glad that Nikola had obviously decided to take their conversation to heart.

After everyone else had left Will sat there still stunned by the news. "I know this has come as a surprise Will but I am going to be relying on you heavily over the next few years. I refuse to make the same mistakes with this child as I did with Ashley."

Will turned to Nikola. "We are never going to get rid of you now are we?"

Nikola grinned widely, suddenly seeing an upside to the situation – making Will crazy. "Nope. Here to stay and as I will long outlive you I can annoy you well into your old age Huggiebear".

"Great. Just Great." Will said shaking his head.

"Face it Willhelm, mummy and daddy are having a baby, and guess what, it does mean we will love you less – deal with it!"

"Nikola!"

"It's alright Magnus. For the life of me I don't know what you see in him though."

"It's my big…"

"Nikola!" Helen cut in before he could finish his sentence.

"Brain. I was going to say brain, I swear!" He laughed at Helens embarrassment.

"Great. And you two have decided to reproduce. The world doesn't know what's about to hit it." Will shook his head as he left the office.

Helen turned to Nikola. "Well that went better than I expected. But Will did have a point." She rested a hand on her stomach. "With the two of us as parents this child is going to be a handful."

Nikola stood and took her hands in his as she rose. He enveloped her in a hug. "What? You think one small child is going to get the better of a pair of geniuses like us?"

"Oh Nikola, you are in for the time of your life." She laughed.


	24. Chapter 24

**Thank you everyone who has reviewed and put his story on alert. I have tried to respond to every review but if I have missed one I am really really sorry.**

Chapter 24

Helen stood in front of the mirror, she was not a woman prone to vanity, certainly, she liked to look her best, but once dressed really didn't give her appearance much thought throughout the day. Today however, as she looked at herself in the mirror she couldn't help but notice how tightly her shirt stretched across her stomach. She disgustedly undid the bottom button remembering this stage with Ashley. None of her regular clothes fitted properly and she point blank refused to wear maternity clothes. She sighed. At least this time around it wasn't the eighties, with its big bows and shapeless tents, an era of maternity fashion that should never be allowed to return.

Nikola heard the sigh as he stepped out of the bathroom. He stepped up behind Helen and wrapped his arms around her waist. As he did he noticed the firm swelling under his hands. "Wow, you waistline is certainly getting bigger."

Helen looked at his reflection in the mirror and the minute he saw her eyes he knew he had said the wrong thing, a fairly regular occurrence these days.

"Do you work hard at being this insensitive or does it just come naturally?" Helen asked spitefully.

Nikola didn't have the good sense to back off, never having really encountered pregnancy hormones before. He smiled at her. "I think we both know it is natural, I haven't suddenly had a personality transplant so I don't know why you are suddenly surprised I am not fawning all over you. I am however, more than happy to be all over you in other ways." He leered at her with a twinkle in his eye.

"Not a chance Lothario- that is what got us into this mess in the first place."

"What? Never?" Nikola asked truly worried.

Helen sighed. "Have you read any of the book I gave you?"

"You didn't honestly expect me to read 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' did you? I mean really, Helen, I am on board with this whole baby scenario but surely a book that size is overkill."

Helen turned to face him and poked him in the chest. "There are literally thousands of books written on pregnancy and childbirth and I am asking you to read one! One lousy book Nikola, one book that will mean you are mildly informed about your child's development and how it is affecting me and my body! And while you are reading, I suggest you pay close attention to what happens when the second trimester hormones hit." With that she walked out of the room leaving a stunned Nikola still standing in front of the mirror.

After a few minutes he walked over to his side of the bed and started looking through the drawers – where the hell was that book and what the hell was a trimester?

Three and a half hours later Nikola wandered into Helens office with a large book tucked under his arm.

"You know how terrified I was when you first told me about the peanut?" Helen nodded. "Well that is nothing to the horror I feel after reading this tome you gave me." He held up the book. "There are things in here no man ever needs to know – I am all for exploring every inch of you delectable body but if you think I am rubbing oil into any part of your body to prepare it for childbirth you can think again and as for holding a mirror so you can see yourself giving birth – who the hell would want to see that?" Helen barely managed to hide her smirk while Nikola continued ranting. "Why? Why would you want me to know this stuff, I have managed to live a long and incredibly illustrious life without ever knowing any of this and now I have all these horrible images floating around in my mind. You are an evil woman Helen Magnus!"

Helen couldn't contain the laughter any longer. "I take it you don't want to see the birthing video then?"

"Ha ha. I don't want to see you giving birth, let alone some stranger! I am seriously rethinking whether the fun of conception is really worth the consequences!"

"Nikola!"

"Well it's true. Have you read this thing?" He waved the book at her. "It's terrifying."

"Nikola you seem to forget I have done this before."

"I know! And that's what baffles me the most. When you know all this stuff why in God's name would you possibly want to do it again?"

Helen walked over and took Nikola's hand in hers and lead them to the couch. "I'm not going to lie to you, being pregnant is scary and incredibly uncomfortable and as for giving birth, the pain is beyond imagination and it is very messy – no denying it. BUT the minute you hold that little baby in your arms for the first time, and you look down and know you made it, every loving and protective instinct you have ever had surges through you and you just know you will never love anything as much as that tiny little person in your arms." There was a tear in her eye as she spoke, obviously remembering how she felt the first time she held Ashley.

"What if I don't feel like that?" Nikola asked quietly.

Helen reached up and stroked his cheek. "Ahh Nikola, you love and protect me all the time, you don't think you will feel the same way about the child we have created together?"

Nikola didn't know what he had ever done to deserve this incredible woman who managed to ease his fears. He leaned in and kissed her deeply trying to show her, without words, how grateful he was for her confidence in him.

When they broke apart he asked seriously. "You don't really want me there when it all happens though do you?"

Helen smiled at him. "Oh, I not only want you there, I insist on it. When you hold your little vampire baby for the first time I want you to fully appreciate what I have had to go through to provide you with your heir to the vampire race."

Nikola paled at her first words but broke into a massive grin.

"I know that smile. What are you thinking Nikola?" Helen asked worriedly.

"Oh I was just thinking about how much time and energy I have expended over the last few decades trying to resurrect my race when all I had to do was knock you up." He laughed.

Helen pretended to be offended. "Out!" She pointed to the door wondering once again why she loved the insufferable man so much.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Helen sat in the seedy bar knowing she looked ridiculously conspicuous. This had been such a bad idea but she was committed now and there was no backing out.

"Dr Magnus, long time no see." A scruffy looking man with red eyes lowered his bulky body into the seat opposite her.

"You have the information?" She asked, getting straight to the point of their meeting not wanting to prolong this encounter any longer than necessary because deep in her gut she knew it had been a bad idea to come herself and not send one of her team.

"Of course, but before we get down to business let's have a drink. Ah, no wait, you won't be drinking will you, word on the street is you got yourself knocked up". He said in a way that made Helen's skin crawl. Yes, coming here had been a very bad idea, she just hoped Nikola never found out about it.

"Word on the street is correct. But you might want to spread it around that the father of my child is a very overprotective vampire with a temper the likes of which you have never seen. I have seen him try to kill when he has run out of his favourite Bordeaux." She leaned in closer to make her point. "I can't even imagine how bad that temper would be if any harm came to his child. The information please." Helen held out an envelope containing cash and was handed a screwed up piece of paper.

Nikola paced the hallway outside Helen's office. He had been pacing for well over two hours now and with each passing minute the anger inside him grew. Just when he was about to enter the office and start throwing things to alleviate some of the rage coursing through him he heard the distinct sound of the ridiculous shoes she refused to stop wearing.

Before contemplating how wise the action was he rounded on her. "What the hell did you think you were doing!" He raged at her.

Damn he had somehow found out.

"My job Nikola."

"Your job! That's all you have to say. Not three months ago you sat in your office and calmly announced you would no longer be going on missions because you were pregnant, and no, wait you still look like you have swallowed a beach ball so I take it you are still pregnant, yet I find out you have gone out to chase down some abnormal!"

"Calm down Nikola. I wasn't chasing an abnormal, I was merely meeting and abnormal contact of mine who had some information on a shipment of red-listers due to arrive sometime in the next week."

"Right. Just meeting a contact. And how many times has that gone pear shaped for you in the past?" Nikola yelled not even trying to disguise his anger at her.

"Nikola!"

"Look I know I wasn't overly excited about this whole baby scenario, but I know it makes you incredibly happy, so please explain to me why you would so recklessly endanger yourself and the peanut." He began to speak more rationally.

"Nikola, it was just a meeting, and I would never endanger our child."

"Right, just like 1945?"

Helen gasped. James had obviously filled him in on the reason for the demise of their relationship. "That was a low blow Nikola, even for you." Helen felt the tears well in her eyes and turned to head back to their room.

Once she entered the solitude of her bedroom Helen took a deep breath and let the tears fall. Nikola may have been out of line saying what he did, but she knew in her heart there was a semblance of truth to the words. She moved away from the door and removed her shoes and sat on the bed, emotionally and physically exhausted.

Nikola waited until he calmed down before following Helen to their room. He was worried enough about whether he had pushed to far that he knocked before entering. He heard a muffled 'enter' and opened the door to find Helen curled up on their bed, her eyes red from crying.

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair. "I was out of line bringing that up."

Helen looked up at him through red-rimmed eyes. "I'm sorry too. I know you think I am happy about the baby, and don't get me wrong, I am, I just miss my job so much. Far more than I ever thought I would. It just seemed like too good an opportunity to do _something_ other than paperwork without taking any risks." Helen hoped he could understand and forgive her.

"Ah Helen, I'm sorry, sometimes I get so wrapped up in how all this is affecting me that I forget how much of a shock it was for you too." Nikola nudged her over on the bed and laid down beside her, she rolled slightly so they were spooning and Nikola rested his hand on her distended stomach.

"Maybe in the future when you need to go all Lara Croft, you could let me know and I could come along to …..you know….keep an eye on things?"

Helen smiled. "Lara Croft? How very pop culture of you."

Nikola grinned. "Hey, I am apparently going to be a father, I am told I need to know about these things."

"You are right though, I didn't have any right to meet that contact and I doubt anything like that will happen again, but I promise if it does I will talk to you first."

Nikola gently pressed a kiss to her neck. "That's all I ask." Nikola was silent for a while, just enjoying holding her and feeling the gentle movement of their child under his hand, before speaking again. "Do you realise what just happened?"

Helen had been drifting off to sleep. "Hmmmm?"

"We had our first real couple fight." Nikola sounded almost happy about it.

Helen turned slightly. "And this makes you happy because….?"

Nikola flipped her onto her back and straddled her grinning "Make up sex of course."


	26. Chapter 26

**Thank you so much to the same few people who are letting me know they are still enjoying this story I appreciate it immensely. There will probably only be a couple more chapters after this one. Thanks for reading.**

Chapter 26

Helen woke up three days before her due date to find Nikolas side of the bed cold and empty. Her vampire needed virtually no sleep but surprisingly he did like to cuddle. In fact, Helen had discovered that she had a great deal of trouble falling asleep without Nikolas warm body spooned behind her and caressing her stomach.

She rolled over and noticed it was long past time for her to be up. Assuming she would catch up with Nikola later in the day, when he would invariably stop by her office to annoy her, under the guise of checking on her and the peanuts wellbeing, she got ready to start her day.

By lunch time Helen was growing concerned. It seemed no-one had seen Nikola all day. She had Henry check his lab which apparently looked like it had been unoccupied all day. By dinner time she had Henry bring up the surveillance footage because she was really worried. It was on one of the garage tapes at about 3am that she saw him leave.

Helen had been trying his cell phone on and off since mid-morning and every time it had gone to voice mail.

At midnight when Helen was preparing for bed and she had still heard nothing, she was becoming really panicked. What if he had decided that a family wasn't for him? She knew he still had reservations about his ability to be a good father, what if he had decided it was all too much for him? Dammit, he had promised. He had promised not to run. He had promised to be there for her.

::::::::

Nikola knew she was going to kick his ass from here to next century, right after she shot him and gave him a vasectomy with no anaesthetic. Oh yeah, he was in a deep pile of it. Nope, she so wasn't going to care that he was trying to do something for her, wasn't even going to take into consideration that he was supporting her work. From now on he was going to stick to his lab. As soon as he got himself out of this mess.

Damn the SCIU hottie to hell. She had totally set him up. Sent him a text message to let him know they were about to start conducting tests on one of the abnormals they had and would he like to come and observe. Nikola knew he could get in and get the abnormal back to the sanctuary, after all it was relatively small and as long as it was tranqued it wasn't dangerous. He had briefly though of asking for Henry's assistance but knew it would be quicker and easier if he were by himself. Yep, so regretting that decision now.

The hottie, quite telling that he couldn't even remember her name, had met him at the gate and escorted him to the new director's office where he had promptly been shot with a tranquelizer and the next thing he knew he was tied up in some kind of lab. Nikola had a horrible suspicion that the abnormal they were really planning their experiments on was him.

Nikola looked up as the door opened and in walked the traitorous hottie.

"Oh Nicky I am so sorry." She said sincerely as she approached him. "I tried to tell them that you couldn't possibly be who they said you were, but they wouldn't listen." She began to undo the titanium bindings holding him to the bed. "I tried to tell them what a good man you were, how gentle and kind, but they said the most awful things."

Nikola remained silent while she finished untying him. As he got off the bed he kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you". As he reached the door he turned to her. "Just what did they say about me?"

"They said you were a vampire." She said in a voice that shook with horror at the mere thought.

"Ah well then, they are smarter than I gave them credit for." And with that Nikola transformed himself, intent on returning to Helen and willing to kill anyone who got in his way. He didn't hear the pretty redhead mutter 'dear god what have I done?' as he left the room.

It was another three hours before Nikola made it back to their bedroom. He had naively hoped that Helen would be sound asleep and he could slip into bed next to her and when she woke up in the morning she wouldn't even question where he had been. How wrong could a man be?

He opened the door quietly, surprised to see the light still on. He was even more surprised to see Helen sitting up in bed reading. She looked up from the book as he entered and he knew from the expression on her face this was not going to be good.

"You Bastard! You utter bastard!" Before he knew it, the book she had been reading was hurtling through the air towards him. He ducked just in time and it hit the door behind him, unfortunately he had turned to see where the book landed and missed the lamp coming at him which hit him fair in the face.

"Woah, Helen, enough with the projectiles, I have a really good reason for not being here today."

"Oh you do, do you, three days before I am due to deliver your baby vampire you disappear for 24 hours, no note, no phone call, no nothing. But you have a really good reason!" Helen inelegantly swung her legs around to get out of bed. Nikola instinctively moved to help her but the minute he did she shot him a venomous look that told him well and truly to keep his distance.

Helen moved closer to him. "How could you Nikola? Do you have any idea what was going through my head? I thought you had run, I thought you had left me! And the worst part was, I was terrified. I swore I would never become that reliant on someone ever again but somehow you have managed to worm your way into my heart and I was scared!" She poked him in the chest. "I don't like being scared, it's not an emotion I deal well with."

"Helen..." Nikola tried to soothe her by gently rubbing her arms.

"Don't you 'Helen' me you selfish, arrogant, thoughtless, bastard. I have never wanted to shoot you more than I do at this moment." Helens words were furious but as she finished speaking she got a look of shock on her face. "I think I might have to wait to shoot you." She looked up at him with a new type of fear in her eyes, "my waters just broke."


	27. Chapter 27

**There is a bit of language in this chapter and a birth scene but nothing at all graphic – I didn't want to scare anyone who hasn't experienced the miracle of childbirth by going into too much detail – those of you who have experienced the 'miracle' know what I mean! One chapter to go after this.**

Chapter 27

Nikola looked down at the watery mess that now covered his shoes. "Well, that's disgusting. And such a waste, these were my favourite shoes, I'm never going to be able to wear them again."

Exasperated, and more than a bit scared, Helen snapped. "Stop worrying about your bloody shoes! MY WATERS JUST BROKE!"

Nikola returned to stroking her arms to try and calm her. "Have you had any contractions?" Helen shook her head. "Well then, we probably have hours, so calm down and let's get you back into bed and wait and see if anything else begins to happen. It could be hours before your contractions even begin." Helen was clearly calmed by his words and allowed him to lead her to the bed where he spread a number of thick towels for her to lie on.

It suddenly hit Helen that Nikola seemed to actually know what to do and what was about to come. "Wait, how the hell did you know all that?"

Nikola smiled down at her, "Genius remember?" He lovingly stoked the hair from her face. "I am just going to duck out to let that hairball butler of yours know to be ready." Helen nodded, amazed at how calm and supportive Nikola was being. It looked like she had once again completely underestimated him.

Nikola pulled the door closed behind him and allowed the panic he had been holding at bay in front of Helen, free reign. "Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck!" He said as he knocked his head against the wall. "Soooo not ready for this."

Helen heard the knocking noise and the muffled words and smiled. That was more like the vampire she knew and loved, she knew the calm had to be a façade and it just made her love him all the more for trying.

Ten minutes later Nikola re-entered their room. "Everyone is on alert, how are things going here?"

"A few cramping pains, nothing more than that." She said as Nikola sat on the edge of the bed.

"Well that's good then." He said calmly as he caressed her hand. Why the hell was she insisting on him knowing all this 'woman' stuff? For over a 160 years he had lived without any of this pregnancy and childbirth knowledge and quite frankly he could live another 160 years without it.

If Helen didn't know how intense this was all about to get she would have laughed. "Nikola." She put a finger under his chin to force him to look at her. "It's okay to be scared, you don't have to be calm just for me." Nikola looked her in the eyes and could see she was sincere.

"Oh thank god!" He said quite clearly relieved. "I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep that up." He stood up and began to pace the room, something Helen found utterly annoying after about two minutes.

"Nikola! Stop pacing!"

Nikola stopped and looked at her. "Well I have to do something! You get to lie there and have contractions, I'm and expectant father, it is my job to pace!" Nikola then looked at Helen with stark terror in his eyes. This is really happening isn't it? We are having a baby today."

"Yep". Helen grinned, wishing she had a camera to record the look on Nikolas face.

"You're having a baby! We need to get you down to the infirmary!" Nikola said clearly terrified that she might get in her head to deliver their child right this moment on their bed.

"Not just yet, I think I want to have a shower first".

"What! Helen you know I am a stickler for cleanliness but really, a shower, now?"

Helen looked petulant. "Yes a shower, it will help to relax my muscles and you can rub my back while I'm in there. Oh and you might want to think about getting changed into something a bit more comfortable." Helen smiled as she took in Nikolas three piece suit.

A few minutes later Helen was in the shower, revelling in the warm water sluicing over her body. She heard the bathroom door open and she turned as Nikola walked in.

"I thought you were getting changed?"

"I did." He said defensively as he looked down at his attire.

"Into something comfortable? This could be a very long day." Helen smiled as she looked at him dressed in a three piece suit.

"Helen, think, when in your life have you ever seen me dressed in anything other than a suit?"

Helen thought for a moment. "Good point".

Helen shut the shower off and Nikola automatically reached for a towel to wrap her in. She appeared to waddle back into the bedroom to get dressed and Nikola stifled the urge to laugh at the ridiculous way she was walking.

"Don't even think about it!" Helen threw over her shoulder as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Which, knowing Helen, she probably did.

It took nearly fifteen minutes for them to get to the infirmary, if it wasn't Helen's ridiculous waddling speed, they were constantly having to stop while she had a contraction, which seemed to be getting more intense and closer together at every stop."

When they finally made it, the Big Guy was there waiting for them. "Are you sure you want the fur ball to deliver the peanut?" Nikola leaned in and asked quietly.

"Uhh Uhh Uhh I heard that." The Big Guy grunted as he continued preparing the room for the imminent arrival.

Helen smirked. "Are you offering to do it yourself?"

"God No!"

"Then leave my old friend to it – he and I have delivered more abnormal babies than you can count. I trust him with my life." Helen looked into Nikolas eyes begging him to understand that this is what she wanted. He appeared to get the message because he didn't make any more disparaging comments.

He did however, move to the lower cupboards against the wall and started opening and closing doors, clearly looking for something. Once Helens' contraction ended and she noticed what he was doing she pointed to a higher cupboard. "I moved them up with the tranquilizers the other day." She smiled.

"Appropriate." Nikola reached up and removed a glass and one of the six bottles of red he had stashed in the infirmary over a week ago.

"Most women would probably be furious about this." Nikola said as he poured himself a glass.

"I. Am. Not. Most. Women." She panted as yet another intense contraction ripped through her body.

"That is true my love." Nikola grinned at her.

Helen groaned. She had forgotten how incredibly painful this was. "I am never letting you touch me again!"

"Helen!" Nikola was shocked, afraid she might actually mean it.

"You and you vampiric super sperm can just stay right away from me!"

Nikola grinned at the thought of having super sperm and poured himself another glass of wine. "Now Helen, you know you enjoy sex as much as I do and together…." Will chose that moment to walk in the infirmary and groaned at what he just heard.

"Don't you two ever give it a rest?"

"Ah young William, come and join the party."

Helen let out another low groan as a contraction rolled over her right on top of the last one. She grabbed Nikolas hand and squeezed, trying to relieve some of her pain.

"Ow! That hurt." Nikola grumbled when she finally relaxed her grip.

Henry and Kate arrived just in time to hear Nikola complain.

"Suck it up Vlad the dad." Said Kate cheekily.

"Do not call me that." Nikola ordered as he tok another gulp fromhis wine glass.

Finally Biggie had enough and ordered everybody to leave. He turned just in time to see Nikola trying to leave as well. "Not you. You stay."

Nikola muttered an incomprehensible 'damn' under his breath.

Biggie kept watch on the screen that was monitoring Helens contractions. "Her contractions are less than a minute apart, I think this might even be quicker than Ashley's birth. Sit behind her to support her head and shoulders."

Nikola did as he was told. Helen smiled up at him between contractions and said "Not long now and your vampire race will have exactly two members." She just managed to get the sentence out before a contraction, worse than all the others, gripped her.

Five minutes later she was covered in sweat fighting through a contraction that seemed to have lasted forever. "Oh God. I can't do this, I can't do this."

"Can't you give her some drugs or knock her out or something?" Nikola asked panicked, never having seen anyone in this much pain before and certainly not someone he loved.

"Nah she was like this with Ashley too." The Big Guy grunted. "Just transition."

"Trans what? No don't worry, I don't care that much I just want her out of pain!"

Helen squeezed Nikolas hand. "Calm down Nikola." She looked up at her old friend and smiled weakly. "Time to bring this baby into the world."

No more than ten minutes, and half a dozen pushes later Nikola marvelled at the fact that a woman, his woman, who had been writhing in pain fifteen minutes ago was now serenely sitting in bed holding their baby in her arms, looking more beautiful than he had ever seen her.

Nikola was awestruck by the child. The scientist in him was fascinated by the fact that only moments before it had been inside Helen, and now here was a brand new person. He carefully manoeuvred himself so he was lying next to Helen, but he couldn't take his eyes off the tiny bundle in her arms. His daughter. "Well that wasn't so bad, a bit messy and loud at times, but over and done with nice and quickly." Nikola grinned.

"Not so bad? Loud? Messy?" Helen was about to tell Nikola off once again for his utter insensitivity until she caught his grin and the twinkle in his eye. "You're right." She stroked the cheek of her daughter gently and the baby began rooting for food. "Next time let's try for a boy."

"Next time?" Nikola paled at the thought.


	28. Chapter 28

**Well here it is - the end! Thank you so much to everyone who had read and reveiwed this story - you have no idea how much your encouragement has meant to me. Particular thanks to Emmy1512, Tashah2109 and Sailor's Wife who have sent me such lovely messages while writing this and to Olafur Neal who left a review for every chapter I think. All your lovely words have made me ridiculously happy. **

**So in honor of hitting 100 revews here is the end. I have a few oneshots planned for Nikolas adventures in parenting so keep and eye out for End of the Road.**

Chapter 28

Two days after giving birth Helen was wandering around the Sanctuary, giving her daughter a guided tour and introducing her to anyone they came across. Although introductions were made difficult by the fact that she and Nikola had yet to agree on a name. It had been so much easier when she had Ashley – there had been no other opinion to have to consider. Of course there had been no one to get out of the nice warm bed to bring a hungry baby to her in the middle of the night either. Something Nikola, not needing any sleep, was surprisingly good at.

Will had also been a surprise. As Helen had been sitting in the infirmary cradling the newborn baby Will had entered carrying a pile of research on Vampire offspring. Both Nikola and Helen had looked at him and then at each other in shock. Neither of them had thought of the implications of their unique genetic makeup having any negative affect on their child.

"Relax, I don't think there is anything you will have to be overly concerned about." He told the worried parents. "Apparently, because of their life span, a vampire baby is very rare and considered to be a miracle." Nikola grinned. Will chose to continue before Nikola had a chance to launch into a lecture on the superiority of the Vampire race. "From what little there is recorded, it looks like vampire offspring grow normally until the end of puberty and that's when their special 'gifts' seem to kick in. So you should be fine to …" He broke of waving his hand between the baby and Helen's chest.

"So Helen can breastfeed without the fear of little fangs ripping her to shreds and we won't have to be changing nappies for the next fifty years either?" Nikola asked.

"Well that is a visual I am never going to recover from." Will visibly winced at the thought. "But yeah, she should be perfectly normal until the end of adolescence."

Helen and Nikola both looked relieved. Helen felt like a small part of her worry had been lifted. They wouldn't know for sure until they had a chance to do some blood tests but it sounded like her child would inherit her father's immortality. This wouldn't be like Ashley all over again, she wasn't going to lose her daughter.

"Thank you Will. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you researching all that for us."

:::::::::::

Helen continued her wandering until she arrived outside Nikola's lab. She knocked on the door and waited for a response, she had learnt the hard way that interrupting Nikola when he was working was not always a good thing.

"Come in if you want to marry me."

Helen entered the lab that had several computer monitors and various other bits of apparatus spread around. Nikola was clearly still working on how to make the new Sanctuary energy independent, but the sight of Helen and the baby made him stop what he was doing immediately. He walked over and took the baby in his arms.

"So you will then?" He inquired, not taking his eyes off his beautiful daughter.

"Will what?" Helen asked as she took a seat on the lounge that looked out to the waterfall.

"Marry me of course, I said you could only come in if you would marry me."

"Too bad if I had been Henry, or better yet, Will." Helen laughed.

"You are avoiding answering the question. Little Millicent?" Nikola looked at her hopefully but Helen merely screwed up her face and shook her head. "Would like her parents to be married."

"Little Angela?" Nikola considered the name and the shook his head. "Only cares about my breasts at the moment."

"Again with the avoiding Helen? If I didn't know how madly in love you are with me, I might be offended."

"I just happen to think that naming little Fiona?" Nikola shook his head immediately suddenly remembering the hottie from SCIU's name. "Should be our most pressing decision at the moment."

"I agree that little Annabelle's?" Helen considered for a moment and looked at her daughter and shook her head. "Name is important, but Helen, I want us to be a family. I want you and Little Sarah?" Helen shook her head remembering Sarah Beaumont who used to pull her pigtails at school. "To know that I am here for you both and will always be here for you." Nikola moved to sit next to Helen on the lounge so they could share in the wonder of their daughter.

"Oh Nikola, I know you love me and I know you will always be here – I don't need to have to have a piece of paper to prove it."

"So you were prepared to marry that psychopath Druitt, and I know for a fact that you would have married James in a heartbeat if he had ever actually got around to asking you, yet not me…" Nikola actually sounded hurt.

Helen moved closer to him. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise it meant that much to you. I thought you were only asking because you thought it was something I wanted."

Nikola handed the baby back to Helen and knelt down in front of her. "If I am going to do this, I may as well do it traditionally." Nikola took one of Helens hands in his. "Helen Magnus, I love you with all my heart, you are my best friend, my other half, I can't imagine my life without you, if you do me the honour of becoming my wife I promise I will spend the rest of my considerable days making you happy, driving you crazy, loving you and making you laugh."

Helen had to withdraw her hand from Nikolas to wipe at the tears that were coursing down her cheeks. "Nikola, that was the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me. I would be honoured to marry you."

Nikola broke into a wide grin and pulled Helen and the baby into his arms and kissed her deeply. When they broke apart Nikola took the baby back into his arms and held her so he could nuzzle her sweet little face and inhale the perfect baby scent. "Did you hear that little Sophie?" Helen considered but knew the two of them would always associate the name with the tragic movie, and shook her head. "Mummy and Daddy are going to get hitched."

"Such a delightful turn of phrase Mr Tesla. Little Madeline?" Nikola shook his head. "ignore your father's terribly common way of speaking."

"Well, soon-to-be-Mrs-Tesla."

"Not a chance."

"No?"

"No." She said emphatically. "I have been Helen Magnus for 273 years….

"Oh alright, I knew it was a longshot." Nikola grinned, not caring what she called herself, as long as she climbed into bed with him at the end of every day.

"So then, will little Maree?" Helen shook her head, the name of her first governess – never. "Be Tesla or Magnus?"

"Little Laura?" Nikola shook his head remembering the first woman he slept with. "Could be Magnus-Tesla?"

"Ruby Magnus-Tesla?" Helen prepared to shake her head again but considered the name and looked down at her daughters ruby red lips and realised she liked it. A lot.

"Perfect."

_The End_


End file.
